Predicting Every Vikings Free Agent: Staying or Going as the 2026 League Year Awaits
By design, the Vikings free agents aren’t particularly plentiful.
Minnesota’s leadership planned for a successful 2025. In fact, the hope was so ample that there was a belief in being able to compete for a Super Bowl. Were that to have occurred, then the Vikings having a ton of roster continuity would have been welcome. Why not bring back the talent that could push Minnesota toward a Lombardi?
But then reality has hit and the Vikings didn’t get close to winning it all. Worse yet, the Vikings didn’t even qualify for the final tournament to have a chance at the championship.
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, HC Kevin O’Connell, and the rest of the team leadership are now determining how to correct the various issues. A major part of that includes deciding who should stay or go from the roster. To gain a clearer view of the Vikings free agents, consider who gets included among the list provided by Over the Cap.
(The players are listed in alphabetical order going based on last name. The names in red are predicted to leave whereas the names in green are predicted to stay).
Vikings Free Agents — Stay or Go?
Ty Chandler, Running Back: Not lacking in speed, Mr. Chandler has shown promise at different points. Nevertheless, Minnesota doesn’t appear likely to keep him around. There are better options for both offense and specials.
Andrew DePaola, Long Snapper: Look for the bagel connoisseur to stick around. He’s an All Pro and a great leader. Well-liked around the building and helps the team win.
C.J. Ham, Fullback: A tremendous success story. Mr. Ham appears to be at the end of his playing days. Retirement is the outcome here.
Rondale Moore, Receiver/Returner: Oozes talent and is still young. Didn’t work out due to injury and Minnesota appears likely to move ahead with Myles Price.
Fabian Moreau, Corner: Moreau can play. Perfect world means he’s slotted in as the CB4 or CB5, but the veteran is sturdy in coverage.
Jalen Nailor, Receiver: The over budget Vikings haven’t been super keen to pay a WR3. Does that change now that Nailor is up for a new deal? I have my doubts. Nailor is a capable player who appears to understand that his next opportunity is elsewhere.
Matt Nelson, Offensive Tackle: He’s huge but coming off a season-ending injury. Partner the injury with being a touch older and Minnesota moves on.
Jeff Okudah, Corner: Giving the corner with size a chance made sense coming into the season. No longer.
Ivan Pace Jr., Linebacker: A fresh start with a new team appears like the best route. The linebacker has seen his playing time drop since exploding as a rookie in 2023. Look for a trade for a late-round selection since he’s an RFA who needs a hearty pay raise.
Jalen Redmond, Defensive Tackle: Best player on the list and it’s not very close. He’s staying.
Bo Richter, Edge Rusher: He doesn’t have the usual length of an edge rusher but he’s a very rugged guy. Good option on specials who will be cheap.
Brett Rypien, Quarterback: The coach in shoulder pads isn’t likely to remain even though he’s a sharp, professional depth option.
Zavier Scott, Running Back: Appears to have his supporters since he’s a young runner with good size and who has a background as a receiver. Just hard to know if he offers enough upside for a running back position that has never been good enough for Kevin O’Connell. Toss up.
Ben Sims, Tight End: Young and with some pretty silky mitts, Sims looks like someone to continue investing in. Helps that Minnesota has twice made a move to bring him aboard: once from undrafted free agency and once coming off waivers. He gets retained.
Justin Skule, Offensive Tackle: The Vikings appear to value his abilities. Partner that optimism with the Christian Darrisaw uncertainty and doubt in Walter Rouse. Keeping the OT3 could be wise.
Harrison Smith, Safety: Best guess is retirement. Does the return of DC Brian Flores change the calculus at all? He can still play but his elite days are behind him. Minnesota would welcome him back if the money is reasonably modest.
Tavierre Thomas, Safety: Got too much criticism for the penalty issues. He’s a great coverage player for Matt Daniels but will cost too much within Minnesota’s snug budget.
Carson Wentz, Quarterback: Seems likely that he’ll desire to remain. Do the Vikings reciprocate the feeling? Ideally, he would be the QB3 but don’t know if Minnesota will open that possibility.
John Wolford, Quarterback: Not someone who gets fans too excited, Mr. Wolford has a role in the NFL somewhere. Won’t be in Minnesota, though.
Eric Wilson, Linebacker: Could be too pricey to keep. Working in his favor is that Flores is back, but one wonders about the merits of paying strong money to a linebacker in his early 30s who is coming off a breakout season.
Ryan Wright, Punter: A strong specialist, the Vikings would be wise to invest in the most promising talent to arrive in Minnesota from 2022. Essentially the entire draft class flopped (Nailor aside), but the UDFA addition has been excellent. Still young, Mr. Wright makes a lot of sense to keep around.
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