Vikings Players Who Could Be Traded in the 2026 Offseason
The Minnesota Vikings finished 9-8 in 2025, which usually suggests a decent season, but the club was eliminated from the postseason about a month before the tournament. So, the club will encounter change this offseason — that might include some high-profile trades. Here’s a look at the internal candidates.
A by-player glance at which Vikings could realistically be moved during the 2026 offseason.
To be clear, the following players are not likely to be traded, but no one should be utterly astonished if these situations play out.
Who Might the Vikings Trade This Offseason?
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah always wheels and deals, and these men could, in theory, be shipped elsewhere in the right agreement.
Jordan Addison (WR)
The Vikings have until May 1st to exercise Addison’s fifth-year option, and most assume that will happen. But Minnesota’s WR2 has a difficult time staying out of trouble, arrested thrice in 2.5 years for very weird charges: speeding 140 MPH on a Twin Cities interstate, asleep and drunk on a Los Angeles freeway, and trespassing at a Tampa casino (a charge that was later dropped). Addison almost missed a London walkthrough in October, benched for a quarter by head coach Kevin O’Connell as a result.
Don’t expect an Addison trade this offseason, but it also wouldn’t be mind-boggling for the Vikings to trade him if they’re tired of his antics.
Of course, the Vikings would turn around and need a WR2, which aren’t easy to find, especially young ones like Addison (age 24).
The Viking Age‘s Adam Carlson on a possible Addison trade, “Minnesota is a team with a salary cap problem and holes to fill on the roster. Although they likely wouldn’t want to trade Addison away, picking up his fifth-year option or giving him a long-term extension might be extremely difficult. The Vikings could also use the assets acquired in a trade to fill some of the gaps on their roster and possibly shed some of the more bloated contracts on the roster.”
“Addison’s past legal issues could also play a factor. If Minnesota feels those issues could persist, they might be more willing to trade him away. On the other hand, San Francisco might use that as a reason to try to get the young receiver for cheaper than other options around the league.”
Jonathan Greenard (OLB)
Let’s pretend Joe Burrow is for sale — he makes good on his “my life is not happy” comments from December and requests a trade.
In theory, Minnesota could send Greenard, a trio of 1st-Rounders, and the last guy on this list to Cincinnati for Burrow. How could the Vikings live without Greenard? Well, they’d promote Dallas Turner and let it rip on him as a starter.
The Vikings’ defense didn’t struggle in December and January without Greenard, oddly enough.
Javon Hargrave (DT)
Hargrave experienced hot-and-cold moments in 2025, once envisioned by fans as the team’s big DT splash in free agency.
If Adofo-Mensah were to draft Clemson’s Peter Woods in Round 1 this April, he could shop Hargrave for a late-round pick and free up about $18 million in cap space. Minnesota would then feature Woods, Jalen Redmond, Jonathan Allen, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins at defensive tackle in 2026.
Remember: Adofo-Mensah had no problem trading Harrison Phillips and Mekhi Blackmon last summer. Hargrave would fit the blueprint if Adofo-Mensah decided (for some reason) he wanted more 6th-Round picks.
J.J. McCarthy (QB)
It will sound strange because he’s started just 10 games in his career, but there is indeed a very slight chance that the Vikings traded McCarthy, including him in a deal for an elite quarterback in the vein of Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, or Justin Herbert. To be clear, those teams probably won’t trade those players. Still, if Burrow, Jackson, or Herbert personally requested a trade, the quarterback’s general manager may have no choice.
Sporting News‘ Dharya Sharma on a possible Burrow trade: “The Minnesota Vikings could look to completely revamp their quarterback room in 2026 after J.J. McCarthy’s underwhelming 2025 season, and one NFL insider has connected the team to a trade with the Cincinnati Bengals for Joe Burrow. Burrow trade rumors have skyrocketed over the last two years due to Cincinnati’s playoff drought and the failure to provide Burrow with offensive line and coaching support.”
“However, the Bengals would be foolish to trade Burrow, and there is a near-zero percent chance he wears a different uniform anytime soon. Minnesota would turn into an immediate contender with the acquisition of Burrow, but it isn’t going to happen. The more realistic path is for the Vikings to add a veteran signal-caller to compete with McCarthy in 2026.”
In Los Angeles, for example, the Vikings would send multiple 1st-Round picks, along with McCarthy, to Jim Harbaugh’s team for Herbert, and McCarthy and Harbaugh would reunite. Just an example.
In all likelihood, McCarthy will be with the Vikings in September — and might even be the QB1. Yet, a trade cannot be ruled out. The Vikings’ leaders haven’t sounded shy early this offseason about adding another quarterback.
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