6 Vikings Who May Be Playing Their Final Year in Minnesota
There have been many changes to the Vikings’ roster this offseason, but here, let’s fast forward a year and look at what might be in store for us.
Veteran Vikings Facing High-Stakes 2026 Campaigns
The futures of head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores could well come under scrutiny again, depending on how the 2026 season goes. However, here I am just looking at players, particularly players who have had or could have this season, important roles on the team, and are due to hit free agency next year.
There is a case to be made that these players should be allowed to leave when that happens.
Brian O’Neill
We start with the big name and the most difficult to replace should he move on: Brian O’Neill. The stalwart right tackle has sured up the right side of the Vikings’ offensive line for the past eight seasons since being drafted in the second round of the 2018 draft by Minnesota.
I don’t expect O’Neill’s play to drop off a cliff suddenly, but he will be 32 next September, and recent activity shows the Vikings have been parting ways with expensive veterans and getting younger on the roster.
With that in mind, do the Vikings offer O’Neill another big, multi-year contract? An extension to help solve the team’s salary cap problems was an option early in the offseason, but that wasn’t taken. O’Neill could still get one before this season starts, or they could wait and see how his ninth season with the team pans out. If he has an exceptional year, a new contract can be offered; if he has a down or injury-hit season, the team has an out.
Blake Brandel
Blake Brandel has done everything on the Vikings OL during his five seasons with the team. He is set to start Year 6 as the team’s starting center, a position he had never played before filling in for Ryan Kelly last season. Many expected the Vikings to bring in a new starting center after Kelly confirmed his retirement, but that didn’t happen. Seventh-round rookie Gavin Gerhardt is the only new addition at the position.
Brandel may turn out to be a success at center, but I didn’t see much evidence of that in his time playing there last season. If the move doesn’t work out, it could spell the end of Brandel’s time in Minnesota, with Ryan Van Demark signing in free agency and Caleb Tiernan drafted in the third round, taking up his role as swing tackle/interior cover.
Jay Ward
One of the stories of the Vikings’ offseason was the potential retirement of Harrison Smith and his replacement after over a decade as the Vikings’ best safety. We still await official confirmation, but as it stands, the job could be Jay Ward’s. His development has been slow and steady, and in the last year of his rookie contract, he could be about to get his chance. He has to take it, or he will likely be out the door next year.
Ivan Pace Jr.
The rise of the undrafted Ivan Pace was one of the success stories of 2023 in Minnesota. It seems like the linebacker peaked in his rookie season, and the issues that led to his going undrafted were never fully resolved. Pace is small for the position, and despite being explosive coming downhill, he misses too many tackles.
With a second-round pick spent on Jake Golday, Pace could potentially go from a former starter down to fourth choice on the depth chart. He will need to earn a new contract for next year on the field, but unless there are injuries to the players ahead of him, he might not get much of a chance.
Aaron Jones
It looked like the Vikings and Aaron Jones were set to part ways this offseason, but the two sides agreed to a reduced deal that kept Jones in Minnesota. It will be one last run for Jones with the Vikings, not about to give him a new contract for a season when he will turn 33.
In recent years, not many RBs have been able to stay relevant on a team into their 30s, which is a great credit to Jones, but his time is running out.
T.J. Hockenson
It was a similar situation for TJ Hockenson, which points to an exit for the team’s leading tight end. However, I’d suggest that it isn’t completely set in stone, and if Hockenson can return to his best form from a couple of years ago – before his knee injury – then there should be interest in retaining his services.
Of course, Hockenson will now have the position of strength that comes with being a pending free agent.
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