16 Players the Vikings Lost This Offseason
With free agency and the NFL draft complete, the Minnesota Vikings’ roster is pretty well set in regular-season-speak, currently employing 90 players, a figure that will shrink to 53 in late August. So, let’s account for who left the franchise.
Minnesota moved on from 16 players altogether before camp.
Listed in alphabetical order, these Vikings from the 2025 roster no longer work for the purple team.
Oodles of Familiar Names Have Already Left the Vikings’ Roster
These men chose a different path in 2026 and beyond
1. Jonathan Allen | DT
The Vikings wanted Caleb Banks for the DT role in 2026, so six weeks before adding him in the draft, they released Allen, who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals soon after. He’s on Joe Burrow’s team now, and because of that relationship, Minnesota doesn’t have much of a 2027 cap burden regarding his contract. Out with the old, in with the young for Minnesota at defensive tackle.
2. Ty Chandler | RB
Minnesota didn’t want Chandler back in 2026, prompting him to join the New Orleans Saints, where he’ll quickly encounter a crowded RB room with Travis Etienne, Kenre Miller, Alvin Kamara, Devin Neal, and Audric Estime. He faces an uphill battle to make the Saints’ regular season roster.
3. Jonathan Greenard | OLB
Sadly, Minnesota ended the Greenard era after two years, sending him to the Philadelphia Eagles, along with a 7th-Round pick, in exchange for two 3rd-Rounders. The Dallas Turner era is here, and the Vikings lost their best defensive player in Greenard.
4. C.J. Ham | FB
Ham spent a decade as the Vikings’ fullback, sticking around in Minnesota from cover to cover. He was a lifer. He called it quits this offseason, retiring on the same day as Adam Thielen.
The Vikings drafted Michigan’s Max Bredeson as Ham’s replacement last month.
5. Javon Hargrave | DT
Like Allen, Minnesota has no room for an old defensive tackle, cutting Hargrave and watching as he signed with the Green Bay Packers days later. Minnesota will see Hargrave in Week 1 at U.S. Bank Stadium. Hargrave isn’t a true nose tackle, but in the draft, the Vikings picked Iowa State’s Domonique Orange as a DT swap.
6. Ryan Kelly | C
Kelly sustained three concussions last year, and like Ham, he retired this offseason. The four-time Pro Bowler had a sweet career, and now the Vikings will presumably hand the center baton to longtime veteran Blake Brandel.
7. Rondale Moore | WR
Moore committed suicide on February 21st. He is included in this article for full disclosure and as a tribute to a great person.
8. Fabian Moreau | CB
Moreau quietly had a solid 2025 season as Minnesota’s CB3, giving up just a 54.2 passer rating in 11 games. Most probably didn’t notice, though, as Moreau isn’t exactly a household name. Still, the Vikings could do worse for a backup corner.
If the price is right, Minnesota should consider bringing him back as a CB4 or CB5. You can never have too much reliable depth at corner, especially for a defense that thrives on versatility and trust.
9. Jalen Nailor | WR
Nailor signed with the Las Vegas Raiders for three years and $35 million. He could rather easily be the Raiders’ WR1 or WR2 this season. To backfill his job, the Vikings signed Jauan Jennings a week and a half ago.
10. Jeff Okudah | CB
Okudah’s tenure as Minnesota’s CB3 was largely unsuccessful. Concussions frequently kept him off the field, and when he did play, his performance didn’t inspire confidence in his long-term NFL future. Opposing quarterbacks frequently targeted him, always with the utmost success and much to Vikings fans’ chagrin.
The former third overall pick now appears eternally saddled with the “2020 draft bust” label.
11. Brett Rypien | QB
Surprisingly, back in May 2025 — just a year ago — Rypien was the Vikings’ QB2. How quickly things can change.
Now, he’s likely seeking a QB3-QB4 spot elsewhere, perhaps with a team in need of an affordable veteran arm for training camp. While Rypien could still be useful as a camp arm, his path back to Minnesota appears closed.
12. Ben Sims | TE
Sims will try on the Miami Dolphins TE room for size. The Vikings have a healthy Gavin Bartholomew returning in 2026 and evidently didn’t need Sims at TE3 or TE4.
13. Harrison Smith | S
The Vikings released Smith in March, but that may not signify the end of his story in Minnesota.
Smith was still performing well late in 2025, suggesting a 2026 return remains a possibility, even if in a smaller or situational role. If the Vikings are serious about chasing a Super Bowl with Kyler Murray at quarterback, it would feel strange for Smith to be watching from home.
And likely strange for Smith himself. His return/retirement remains up in the air. A source told VikingsTerritory about Smith’s decision-making process, “He’s been in Tennessee since January.”
14. Justin Skule | OT
Skule spent three seasons in Tampa Bay from 2022 to 2024. He hopped over the Vikings in 2025 but will now be a Buccaneer once again. For replacements, Minnesota signed Ryan Van Demark from the Buffalo Bills and drafted Northwestern’s Caleb Tiernan.
15. John Wolford | QB
Wolford served as Minnesota’s emergency QB3 last season amidst injuries and chaotic quarterback play. He is not expected back in 2026. At best, Wolford might secure a practice squad spot or an emergency QB role elsewhere. While that holds value in the league, it likely doesn’t align with Minnesota’s plans for its future quarterback — like Rypien’s situation.
16. Ryan Wright | P
Most fans believed Wright would be the Vikings’ punter for the long haul, but he chose the Saints in free agency. Minnesota signed Johnny Hekker as his replacement, who was the best punter in football eight years ago, and undrafted collegiate stud Brett Thorson. A punter battle is on the way at training camp this summer.
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