The 5 Vikings with the Largest Salary Cap Hits in 2025
It had been awhile since the Minnesota Vikings were truly big spenders in free agency, but that is exactly what happened in 2025.
The Vikings brought in a number of big names to shore up their trenches this offseason. However, many of those new contracts won’t see their biggest cap hits for another year or two.
As a result, the Vikings actually still have $23.5 million in salary cap space, per Over the Cap, which ranks 15th in the NFL. With the team preparing for the regular season as veterans report to training camp on Tuesday, here is a look at the top five cap hits on the roster for this season.
1. RT Brian O’Neill ($26 million)
The Vikings’ longtime right tackle comes in as the top cap hit on the roster this season as a result of the massive contract he signed back in 2021. Minnesota also restructured the deal back in 2023 right before the regular season began, pushing money into the future to free up immediate cap space.
Minnesota could do a similar thing again if they really wanted to with the ability to free up $8-$9 million in cap space, but the Vikings simply don’t have a need for that right now. Brian O’Neill is only under contract through the 2026 season, so another contract extension for the 29-year-old Pro Bowler could be in order.
2. OLB Jonathan Greenard ($22.3 million)
Jonathan Greenard was signed last offseason as the de facto replacement for Danielle Hunter. Ironically, it was essentially a swap of the two defenders as Greenard headed to Minnesota while Hunter signed with the Texans.
Greenard immediately paid off Minnesota’s trust in him by turning in a Pro Bowl season and earning a few votes in the Defensive Player of the Year race. After a cap hit of just $5.8 million in 2024, he now balloons to $22.3 million for each of the next three years, barring any sort of restructure or extension.
3. TE T.J. Hockenson ($16.65 million)
T.J. Hockenson missed the early portions of the 2024 season as he continued to recover from his torn ACL and MCL suffered at the end of the 2023 season against his former team, the Detroit Lions.
The injury came months after he signed a contract that, at the time, was the largest in NFL history for a tight end. It didn’t hinder Hockenson’s ability to contribute to the offense in 2024, and he should continue to be a dynamic threat in 2025.
4. WR Justin Jefferson ($15.17 million)
After years of playing on bargain deals, Justin Jefferson is finally getting ready to enter the years of rolling in cash. The receiver signed a four-year/$140 million contract last offseason that is kicking in this year and will only get more expensive.
Next offseason, Jefferson’s cap hit will balloon up to nearly $39 million before jumping to about $43.5 million and $47.5 million in 2027 and 2028, respectively. As long as Jefferson stays healthy, the contract will be well worth it as J.J. McCarthy gets to throw to one of the most reliable receivers in the league.
5. OLB Andrew Van Ginkel ($11.4 million)
Andrew Van Ginkel was another free agent signing in 2024 who immediately lived up to and exceeded all expectations. Van Ginkel joined Greenard as a Pro Bowler last season after signing a two-year/$20 million contract with the Vikings.
Minnesota then signed him to a one-year extension worth $23 million, keeping him under contract through the 2026 campaign. As a result, Van Ginkel’s cap hit will jump to $19.4 million next year, but four void years attached to this new extension give the Vikings plenty of room to move money around as needed.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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