Vikings Just Gained Even More Cap Space
Cap space for the Minnesota Vikings keeps rolling in.
The Vikings moved some money around — a significant amount in 2025 by restructuring Josh Oliver’s contract. This is what happened and what they might do.
The club received a boost after June 1st when Garrett Bradbury’s post-cut funds hit the books, and this week, after Minnesota extended TE2’s Josh Oliver’s contract, the available funds climbed to $23.5 million.
Oliver’s deal opened up more spending money for the rest of the summer and the regular season.
2025 Cap Space Freed Up by Josh Oliver’s Extension
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah committed to Oliver for the long haul earlier this month, signing him for three more years and $23.5 million. Fast forward to Tuesday, and details of his extension became public.
Our very own Sean Borman tweeted, “Vikings save over $5M in 2025 cap space with Josh Oliver’s extension.”
Over $23 Million on Hand
At $23.5 million in the reserve for this season, Minnesota ranks 15th per available cap space. The New England Patriots lead the way with a jaw-dropping $60.6 million on the books.
The money can be used on new free agency, trades for incoming players, or rolled over to 2026 — when the purple team’s salary cap situation is utterly grim, at least from a June 2025 viewpoint.
Borman added more context on the cap space: “I imagine the Vikings are keeping an eye on cornerbacks and quarterbacks, but neither position is a desperate need right now. Given they’re projected to be a massive $60 million over the cap in 2026, rolling over a significant portion of their current cap space makes a lot of sense.
“Still, the team has enough financial flexibility to bring in new players if the right opportunity arises this year. The versatility provides them with strategic options without breaking the bank.”
What the Fresh Cap Space Can Do for the Vikings
Minnesota suddenly has more money to spend on free agents and trades. Here’s what that could entail.
More Free Agents?
By now, most big-name and impactful free agents have signed with new teams, especially after cornerback Jaire Alexander landed with the Baltimore Ravens last week. But like every summer, a few names are left, and the market will be flooded at the end of June when 1,400+ players get released on the same day amid roster cutdowns.
Until then, these free agents, in theory, could pique Adofo-Mensah’s attention:
- Julian Blackmon (S)
- Rasul Douglas (CB)
- Gus Edwards (RB)
- Shaquill Griffin (CB)
- Mike Hilton (CB)
- D’Ernest Johnson (RB)
- Jack Jones (CB)
- Asante Samuel Jr. (CB)
- Justin Simmons (S)
- Marcus Williams (S)
A Splashy Trade?
And then there’s the really fun stuff.
Theoretically, Minnesota could lean full tilt into a splashy trade for cornerback Jalen Ramsey, as an example. Adofo-Mensah would need a slush fund to accommodate Ramsey’s chunky contract, and after the Bradbury and Oliver moves, well, he has it.
The Vikings could also explore the trade market for a player like Trevon Diggs in Dallas if the Cowboys moved on from that man, who is scheduled to play his final season in Dallas in 2025.
If Adofo-Mensah fires off a high-profile trade, it will likely be for another starting cornerback.
Janik Eckardt’s Take on Josh Oliver
On the Oliver extension, which enabled the uptick in 2025 cap space, PurplePTSD‘s Janik Eckardt wrote this week, “Oliver produces the 200-300 yards a capable TE2 should accumulate, but that’s not why he’s making that kind of money. He’s just a phenomenal blocker, which is why the Vikings decided to extend his contract through the 2028 campaign.”
“He had been scheduled to become a free agent next March. Long story short, Oliver will have a cap hit of about $4.4 million this season, nearly $10 million next year. It’s pretty much guaranteed that he will be on the roster in those two seasons. After that, the Vikings could get out of the deal in the 2027 offseason with a dead cap hit of slightly over $6 million, saving nearly $4 million.”
Oliver will remain an offensive fixture for the Vikings through the end of 2028.
Eckardt concluded, “Those numbers basically flip in the 2028 offseason. Oliver is 28 years old, and his play style doesn’t require him to run a dazzling 40-yard dash. He should age gracefully. Players can block deep into their 30s. The tight end logged back-to-back career seasons in receiving numbers with 22 receptions each year for 213 and 258 yards, respectively.”
“He also caught a total of five touchdowns. That’s not spectacular by any means, but it’s enough to catch defenses off guard if they don’t take him seriously.”
If Minnesota does spend some of the $23+ million in a notable way, that will likely occur closer to training camp next month or in August, per the club’s usual business timeline.
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