Vikings Offensive Free Agents: Who Should Stay and Who Should Go?
As we look ahead to the 2025 season, you must start with the pending free agents. First, we look at the Vikings offensive pending free agents — defensive players to come later — and decide who should stay and who should go.
Vikings Offensive Free Agents: Who Should Stay and Who Should Go?
The Vikings have a long list of players heading to free agency, including 12 offensive players. Not all of them will return for the 2025 season; some will be surplus to requirements, some will get better offers elsewhere, and one or two may even retire. Here’s my opinion on what the Vikings should do with the offensive players.
Quarterbacks
Everyone but JJ McCarthy was due to be a free agent in the Vikings quarterback room, but Brett Rypien signed a reserve/future contract to stay in Minnesota after serving as the Vikings’ QB3 for most of the season. Rypien is adequate for that role, and I firmly believe that McCarthy is the franchise’s future. That leaves the Vikings needing a veteran QB2 who they can trust to play if McCarthy has any more setbacks. One of Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, or Nick Mullens can fill that role.
Bringing one of those three back is preferable to signing someone new, as all three have varying levels of familiarity with the scheme. Despite his end-of-season collapse, Darnold is still being talked off as getting a multiyear contract for $40 million a year. That’s too steep. There’s a lot of chatter about the Vikings possibly signing or franchise-tagging Darnold to trade him. It’s a nice idea in theory, but they’d have to ensure the market is truly there for Darnold so they don’t get lumbered with him.
Jones had a month or so in Minnesota to see what life is like being coached by Kevin O’Connell. If Jones is open to staying in Minnesota on a similar deal to the one that Darnold signed last year, that would be a good deal for the Vikings; if he wants significantly more than $10 million, he prices himself out. The cheap option is Mullens. He has the experience to step in at a moment’s notice, but he’s not someone you want to rely on for a significant stretch of games.
Verdict: sign Jones to a 1-year deal as close to the $10 million mark as possible. Let Darnold and Mullens walk.
Offensive Line
Cam Robinson was a one-year rental due to Christian Darrisaw’s injury. Robinson did a decent job coming in midseason, but he’s not close to Darrisaw’s caliber. He is, however, a capable veteran tackle, so he will garner enough interest to make any idea of turning him into a guard fanciful. David Quessenberry will turn 35 before the season starts and didn’t look as assured as a backup tackle as he did in his first season in Minnesota. It’s time to turn to someone younger to be the next man up at tackle.
Dalton Risner took over from Ed Ingram on the interior when he finally got fit to play. He once again showed his pass-blocking prowess with a 72.6 grade from Pro Football Focus, but he also showed his weaknesses in the run game – an area the Vikings desperately need to improve. I wouldn’t close the door on bringing Risner back, but I’m not completely sold. Dan Feeney was signed as a veteran player who can cover both guard and center. That versatility makes him a candidate to at least bring back for training camp.
Verdict: offer Risner a 1-year deal in the ballpark of $3 million. Sign Feeney to a veteran minimum deal for training camp and allow Robinson and Quessenberry to leave.
Running Backs & Tight Ends
The running back will be a hot topic of debate this offseason in Minnesota. Should they bring Aaron Jones back for one more year, or should they look to draft a potential lead back? Should they do both? Both options should certainly be on the table. Signing Cam Akers to another deal rather than trading for him during the season for the third year in a row would be preferable. Akers is a capable RB2/3. Johnny Mundt is familiar with O’Connell on his side, making another one-year deal possible for the TE as a depth player.
Verdict: one-year deals all around with Jones and Akers making the 53-man roster while the Vikings also look at the draft for the long-term answer at the position. They should also look to get a younger option at TE to replace Mundt now or next year.
Wide Receivers
The principal value of Trent Sherfield and Brandon Powell comes on special teams, though both have proved themselves to be reliable pairs of hands when called upon. Sherfield was a standout on the Vikings special teams unit, and for that reason alone, I’d expect him back in the building to compete for a roster spot. The same goes for Powell, who has been the Vikings’ punt returner for the last two seasons.
Powell had a career-best year in Minnesota in 2023 as a receiver with 29 receptions on 44 targets for 324 yards and a touchdown but only saw 10 targets in 2024. While a safe pair of hands-on punt returns, there have been no explosive plays that leave the Vikings an opportunity to get better at both WR4 and punt returners.
Verdict: one-year deals for Sherfield and Powell, who have to earn a roster spot during the preseason.
Special Teams
An extra one as the Vikings punter Ryan Wright is also a free agent. Signed as an undrafted rookie in 2022, Wright has taken on the punting duties (and holder on field goal attempts) for the entirety of O’Connell’s tenure as head coach. He’s done a solid job across three seasons, and I’d expect him to get another one-year deal while the team brings in other options for a bit of competition.
Verdict: one-year deal for Wright, who will be punting the ball again for the Vikings in 2025.
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