Vikings Could Get THREE Compensatory Picks Next Year
Thanks to responsible handiwork during 2025 free agency, the Minnesota Vikings are in line to receive two compensatory draft picks in 2026.
Vikings Could Get THREE Compensatory Picks Next Year
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has carefully navigated the offseason to be mindful of the process, and at the very least, Minnesota will have a couple more picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Two picks are somewhat common knowledge among intense purple fans, but a new perk entered the chat this week: a third is possible.
The Trent Sherfield Stakes
Adding another compensatory pick — bringing the total to three — might depend on wide receiver Trent Sherfield, who signed with the Denver Broncos three weeks ago.
Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling tweeted Tuesday, “Sherfield’s incentives are quite reachable in 2025. He gets $500K for 40% of the Broncos’ snaps, and another $500K for 30 catches. Essentially, if he becomes WR3, he could earn another $1 million, which would qualify this year.”
What does this mean? Vikings fans will monitor Sherfield from afar and basically hope he snags 30 catches in 2025, also known as a fringe WR3-WR4 role.
Of course, Sherfield performed special teams duties for Minnesota in 2024, and that could be his role in Denver. However, if he morphs into a pass-catching threat — to the tune of 30+ receptions — Adofo-Mensah would be in a sweet spot to add the third comp selection, probably a 5th- or 6th-Rounder.
Sherfield has tallied 30+ receptions just once in his career during a single season.
Compensatory Picks Already in the Bag
Minnesota received the very top comp pick for Kirk Cousins’ exit last offseason and will spend that capital with the 97th selection in three weeks. Well, the franchise is in a similar situation again this go-round, as Sam Darnold vamoosed for the Seattle Seahawks last month. Adofo-Mensah will get another 3rd-Rounder because Darnold skedaddled, barring a bizarre free-agent signing before the draft.
The club positioned itself in a favorable spot as well when offensive tackle Cam Robinson signed with the Houston Texans.
OverTheCap.com’s Nick Korte tweeted after the Robinson signing, “And there’s that extra 2026 compensatory pick that the Vikings could have been waiting for. Because Cam Robinson got enough to secure a 5th round valued contract, it also places this comp pick firmly as a 4th or 5th, depending on Daniel Jones’s snaps.”
Zone Coverage’s Nick Olson added, “Likely just a 5th round comp pick, but the net result is it should allow the Vikings to receive a 4th round comp pick from Daniel Jones (which was previously canceled out). So that leaves MN with now an expected compensatory 3rd (from Darnold) and 4th (from Jones) in 2026.”
The verdict? The difference between a 2026 4th-Rounder and 5th-Rounder may depend on Daniel Jones’ snaps in Indianapolis. He signed with the Colts this offseason and is on deck to compete with the big-armed Anthony Richardson for a starter’s job.
Kevin O’Connell on Compensatory Picks
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said this week at league meeting about his team’s pursuit of 2026 compensatory selections: “The idea of creating one of those comp picks from Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones or Cam Robinson, players you’re not going to have back that you poured into, it really is something you have to take a mindset with, and you try to maximize it.”
“That’s where I think Kwesi deserves so much credit for his staff and him working with us as coaches to really identify ways of doing the things we felt were mandates to improve our team during the offseason, but doing it in a way where we can still be part of two, or potentially three, high-level comp picks.”
The Deadline Lifts after the Draft
If you’re eager for Minnesota to sign more free agents — a backup quarterback, for example — those dealings can begin pain-free of any compensatory draft pick shenanigans after the draft.
Until then, because this current leadership regime values extra draft picks, there’s a faux moratorium on new signings.
Some players, such as Ryan Tannehill, can be signed anytime because they didn’t play in 2024. His theoretical free-agent addition wouldn’t affect the formula.
On the whole, cheer for Trent Sherfield to bust out in Denver. That’s the path to three comp picks.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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