The 5 Oldest Vikings Entering the 2026 Season
Last week, we brought you the youngest players on the Minnesota Vikings’ 2026 roster; now it’s time for the inverse — the oldest players on the depth chart.
Minnesota’s 2026 roster still leans on several proven veterans at key spots.
The Vikings, in fact, have one of the NFL’s oldest rosters entering 2026, so they’ll need to nail the draft for a long-term fix if the goal is to get younger.
Veteran Presence Still Shapes the Vikings’ 2026 Depth Chart
From bottom to top, these are Minnesota’s elderly players in NFL-speak (No. 1 = oldest player)
5. Aaron Jones, RB | Age: 31
Birthdate: December 2, 1994
Jones played 12 games last season, battling injuries that have plagued him since his time in Green Bay (2017-2023). Despite the setbacks, he still managed a respectable 747 scrimmage yards and 3 touchdowns in 2025.
The previous year, his first in Minneapolis, Jones totaled 1,546 scrimmage yards and 7 touchdowns, exactly matching Justin Jefferson’s yards-from-scrimmage output.
As he approaches his 32nd birthday in December, Jones will aim for a full, healthy season.
4. Eric Wilson, ILB | Age: 31
Birthdate: September 26, 1994
Wilson, who joined the team last offseason as a depth player, emerged as a key defensive component by the end of 2025.
Initially envisioned for a rotational role, backing up Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace Jr. while contributing on special teams, Wilson quickly exceeded expectations. By early October, he had secured a starting position and was performing at a Pro Bowl level.
His statistics reflected his impact, as Wilson consistently disrupted plays. He led all linebackers in sacks and pressures by an off-ball linebacker and ranked near the top in forced fumbles. Flores’s defensive scheme values intelligence and disruption, and Wilson reliably delivered both.
At 31, Wilson achieved career highs, recording 115 tackles, 17 for loss, 10 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. Just a year prior, he was considered a depth player and special teams contributor in Green Bay.
Minnesota had ample reason to re-sign him. From September through January, Wilson consistently delivered high-impact football, becoming one of the defense’s most dependable players. With Flores remaining as defensive coordinator, retaining Wilson was a logical decision.
Re-signing him this offseason became an obvious offseason priority, which the Vikings executed. Now, Wilson’s career might begin and end in Minnesota, nine years after the team initially drafted him.
3. Carson Wentz, QB | Age: 33
Birthdate: December 30, 1992
The Vikings fired up a 2-3 record on Wentz’s watch last year, a man signed late in the 2025 offseason to be a grown-up in the kids’ room, also known as Minnesota’s quarterback corps.
He played through a torn labrum for a few weeks in 2025, embodying toughness and winning fans’ hearts along the way.
Even with Kyler Murray on tap as the QB1 next season, in addition to J.J. McCarthy still in the mix at 23 years old, Wentz is back to serve as the dependable QB3 if injuries go nuts again — like last year.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell explained this week why his team re-upped with Wentz as the QB3, “I just think it’s about depth. It’s about the fact that, without too much of a rearview-mirror-looking backward, you see where the final standings were; where we were at 9-8 and ultimately maybe the one or two or three plays or sequences of games where you find your way into the dance.”
“That’s really all you ever want at the beginning of every year is to punch your ticket to compete in that one game to continue moving on. We’ve played three guys in one year. We’ve played four in another.”
2. Johnny Hekker, P | Age: 36
Birthdate: February 8, 1990
From 2013 to 2017, Hekker built an impressive resume, earning Pro Bowl appearances and First-Team All-Pro honors each season. He also received Second-Team All-Pro selections in 2014 and 2018.
Last season, however, was a departure from this standard. Hekker ranked 24th in net yards per punt and 17th in punts inside the 20, with seven touchbacks, placing him in the average-to-below range for 2022. The Vikings will be looking for him to rebound this year.
Hekker’s selection to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 2010s demonstrates the high level he has achieved in the past. With the Vikings, he’s now an elder statesman. Minnesota signed Hekker last month when Ryan Wright unexpectedly found a fat bag of cash dangling from the New Orleans Saints.
1. Andrew DePaola, LS | Age 38
Birthdate: July 28, 1987
At 38, Andrew DePaola remains the NFL’s premier long snapper. Earning Pro Bowl selections from 2022 to 2024 and four consecutive All-Pro honors, he has solidified his top ranking.
While long snappers don’t accumulate statistics, Pro Football Focus consistently ranks DePaola among the league’s best.
Within NFL special teams circles, his reputation is unmatched; he’s considered the gold standard, far surpassing his peers. As he enters 2026, DePaola is poised to be the Vikings’ oldest player, a distinction he will likely hold by Week 1 unless Minnesota signs a really old free agent.
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