3 Vikings Free Agents on Track to Stay Put in 2026
Sadly enough, it’s a reasonable time to start thinking about the 2026 Minnesota Vikings, as the 2025 Vikings are going nowhere at the moment with a 4-6 record. The franchise won’t have much money to spend on external free agency next March — unless it cuts a bonanza of players or restructures several contracts — so here’s a gander at in-house players on track to stay with the club.
Three Vikings free agents appear on track to stay put in 2026, giving the team a clearer early picture of its offseason contract priorities.
The following players’ contracts expire after this season, and it’s a relatively safe bet to assume they will return for 2026 and beyond.
These 3 Vikings Free Agents Look Likely to Return in 2026
It’s a small list compared to recent years.
Jalen Nailor | WR
Not long ago, especially after Minnesota used a 3rd-Round draft pick on wide receiver Tai Felton, Nailor felt like a goner when the 2026 offseason was set to roll around. Now, that has slightly changed.
Nailor has shown flashes of promise and has built rapport with J.J. McCarthy, a quarterback who has struggled to build rapport with anybody, in general. Then, with Felton not playing much at all this season, Nailor has morphed into the type of player that Minnesota will re-sign at an affordable rate and showcase as the WR3 for the next few years.
There are signs of life for Nailor. He doesn’t necessarily have to leave after this season when his rookie contract expires.
Zone Coverage‘s Tony Abbott recently wrote about Nailor, “Coming into this year, Nailor worked on changing his nickname from ‘Speedy’ to ‘Beefy’, bulking up over the offseason in an effort not to let go of the WR3 spot entering his fourth season.”
“He would need that extra work, as he had to fend off Adam Thielen, the embodiment of reliability during his long tenure with the Vikings. Luckily for Nailor, it’s paid off in a big way. Nailor’s on pace for a career-high 36 receptions and 570 yards. Moreso, he’s establishing himself as having chemistry with McCarthy to a degree that no one else on the roster has.”
It’s worth noting that Thielen has done next to nothing during his Minnesota reunion.
Abbott added, “Nailor has caught 10 of his 16 targets (62.5%) from the first-year starter, the highest on the team. These aren’t cheapies, either. We’re not talking about screen passes and short slants that go for a bunch of yards after the catch. McCarthy targets Nailor deeper than anyone else on the roster, an average of 17.4 yards past the line of scrimmage.”
“While defenses worrying about Jefferson and Addison create room for Nailor, five of his targets from McCarthy have been contested, with Nailor winning four of those fights for the ball.”
Jalen Redmond | DT
Redmond opened the year with sack production that looked like something out of an EDGE’s stat line, but the rush cooled a bit in recent weeks. Among defensive tackles, he sits sixth in stops, eighth in total tackles, 12th in batted passes, 12th in QB hurries, 13th in sacks, and 19th in pressures.
That’s a Top 20 defensive tackle across the board — and honestly, that might even undersell it. Not bad for a player most folks had never heard of two months ago.
He’s carrying a 69.7 PFF grade into Week 11, ranking 28th among all defensive tackles. Redmond keeps showing up as one of Minnesota’s clearest bright spots, especially for a guy who wasn’t supposed to become a headline piece of the defense.
Redmond should fetch a sweet contract extension in February or March.
Eric Wilson | LB
PFF doesn’t love Eric Wilson — just a 59.0 grade — but the eye test loves the guy.
Wilson took over a starter’s job from Ivan Pace Jr. a couple of months ago and has not relinquished it. In a handful of games, notably road contests at the Chicago Bears and at the Detroit Lions, Wilson has performed at a Pro Bowl level.
For the long term, Minnesota probably needs a young off-ball linebacker from the draft; however, players at the position often take a couple of years to develop. Keeping Wilson beyond 2025 feels like a no-brainer.
He’s banked 70 tackles, 19 quarterback pressures, 9 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles in 10 games. That’s serious production for a man who was supposed to be a backup linebacker when the season began.
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