Vikings Appear Ready to Toss a Large Lad Overboard
The Vikings ship took on too much water last year (read: financial commitments). Due to pursuing such an aggressive approach in 2025, Minnesota’s front office is weighing the costs and benefits of each player on the roster.
As for potential cuts, C1 Ryan Kelly rises to the top of the pile. Other players could give back more cap space with a simple cut. But while that’s true, Mr. Kelly could be the easiest decision, as cruel as that sounds. The reasons are multiple.
The Vikings & The Pricey Large Lad at Center
At the end of May in 2026, Ryan Kelly will arrive at his 33rd birthday. That’s borderline ancient in the NFL.
Even worse is that Kelly is coming off a season where he missed ample time due to injury. Worse yet, the injuries came in the form of three concussions. Chronic wrist injuries, for instance, wouldn’t be nearly so concerning. Bad, yes, but not as compelling a reason to hang up the cleats. Concussions are a completely different type of injury, one that threatens Kelly’s future in a uniquely-scary manner.
Quite possibly, retirement is the best path forward.
If Kelly’s desire is to continue his NFL career, then that’s his decision. The decision will then shuffle over to the Vikings to see what the decision is rolling into 2026.
Cutting Kelly would mean recouping $8,347,647. Do remember, folks, that Minnesota is worse than $40 million in debt. At the risk of oversimplifying, consider what the math could look like using just the most simple numbers:
- Vikings Debt: $40,000,000
- Vikings Kelly Cut: $8,000,000
- Vikings Remaining Debt: $32,000,000
At roughly $32 million in cap debt, the Vikings would still have much to do. Other players appear likely to get shown the door — DT Javon Hargrave, RB Aaron Jones, TE T.J. Hockenson, and others. So, too, will Minnesota consider some extensions (RT Brian O’Neill, LB Blake Cashman, and so on) alongside the restructure candidates (EDGE Jonathan Greenard, WR Justin Jefferson, and so on).
Add up all of the various levers that can get pulled and Minnesota will arrive at having some money to spend.
Bringing things back around to Ryan Kelly, though, does point toward a certain outcome: a straightforward cut. Doing so could clear out roughly 20% of the current cap debt (using the rough math up above). For an older player with a concerning injury history, the Vikings appear to be facing an easy decision.
In 2025, Mr. Kelly offered up an excellent 82.2 grade on PFF. The veteran is still capable of playing strong football; injury alongside the broader cap crunch combine to make his roster spot shaky. Any quarterback is fortunate to have Kelly snapping the ball since he’s a rugged, physical center who thinks and communicates the game at a very high level.
Adding him to support J.J. McCarthy — an unproven young fella — made a lot of sense. Does that same need exist with McCarthy gaining at least some experience alongside the apparent desire to add an accomplished vet at QB?
The possibility does exist that Mr. Kelly will arrive at a pay cut so as to allow him continue playing in Minnesota. Quite often, though, the most obvious outcome — a cut — is the outcome that eventually arrives.
If Minnesota shifts away from Kelly, then the team still has Blake Brandel alongside Michael Jurgens. Neither are as excellent Kelly but they do help to stabilize the o-line’s floor. Brandel offers appeal as a veteran who knows Kevin O’Connell’s scheme well. Jurgens offers appeal as a natural center who is still developing.
If the desire is to raise the ceiling, then free agency is soon to arrive.
Soon enough, the Vikings need to start making some tough decisions. The budget needs to get back into shape before the beginning of the new league year. Keep an eye on Ryan Kelly, an older lineman who could be too pricey to keep.
March 9th is when NFL free agency gets rolling. The team’s finances will get sorted out prior to then.
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