The Vikings Have 19 Free Agents — Here’s Who Matters Most
Fullback C.J. Ham retired from the NFL a couple of weeks ago, shrinking the Minnesota Vikings’ list of internal free agents from an even 20 to 19. And with free agency just two weeks away, here’s a look at who the club should prioritize in ascending order.
Minnesota’s list is big, yet the real pressure sits on a few names at the top.
It’s actually a very quiet internal free agency for Minnesota compared to recent years, mainly because former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s four draft classes turned out so poorly. So, that’s a perk, right? Sarcasm.
The Short List That Is Minnesota’s Free Agency
Counting down the Vikings’ top free agents of 2026.
Nos. 19 thru 14
19 — Matt Nelson (LT)
18 — Brett Rypien (QB)
17 — John Wolford (QB)
16 — Tavierre Thomas (CB)
15 — Carson Wentz (QB)
14 — Ben Sims (TE)
Nelson: Do you know who Matt Nelson is? Exactly.
Rypien: This guy was the Vikings’ QB2 fix for about two months of the 2025 offseason. Now, he’s a footnote.
Wolford: Wolford served as the emergency plan behind J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer last year. He might’ve even played better than Brosmer if given a chance. Regardless, with the Vikings emphasizing a deep quarterback room in 2026, Wolford is expendable.
Wentz: The veteran passer did his damndest to keep the enterprise afloat during McCarthy’s absence, but Wentz was just too on-and-off to be considered a QB2 solution going forward. Perhaps a QB3 job title would look great on him.
Sims: If Minnesota makes all the release rumors about T.J. Hockenson come true, it will need TE depth. And that’s Sims.
Thomas: A penalty machine at times in 2025, Thomas stabilized down the stretch of 2025.
Nos. 13 thru 9
13 — Taki Taimani (DT)
12 — Zavier Scott (RB)
11 — Jeff Okudah (CB)
10 — Ty Chandler (RB)
9 — Fabian Moreau (CB)
Taimani: The Vikings suddenly have a crowded DT room. It’s so rare in recent years for the club to employ DTs with nose tackle size. Perhaps keeping Taimani aboard for his size (6’1″ and 330 pounds) would be wise.
Scott: Minnesota gave Scott a whiff at RB2 and RB3 jobs in 2025. The man was serivceable. He should be retained on the practice squad at the very least.
Okudah: The former third overall pick experienced a horrid year in 2025, between poor play and two concussions. As a CB4, he might be intriguing. Brian Flores seems to like him.
Chandler: This Adofo-Mensah draft pick scripted a game from heaven in 2023 at the Cincinnati Bengals. And then that was about it. Unbelievably, Chandler will turn 28 this offseason. His career is on the back nine, believe it or not.
Moreau: Moreau did not get enough credit from Vikings fans last year. He held down the fort at CB3, banking a sweet 54.2 passer-rating-against. If your phone buzzes in March and says, “The Vikings have re-signed Fabian Moreau,” you should smile. The guy can ball.
Nos. 8 thru 5
8 — Ryan Wright (P)
7 — Bo Richter (EDGE)
6 — Justin Skule (LT)
5 — Ivan Pace Jr. (LB)
4 — Harrison Smith (S)
Wright: The Vikings’ punter was a machine as a rookie, returned to earth in 2023 and 2024, and resurged in 2025. He’ll likely be the punter again in 2026. Kicker Will Reichard also trusts him as his holder. Sign us up for more.
Richter: Behind Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner next season, Minnesota will need an OLB4. Why not Richter to battle for the job?
Skule: Christian Darrisaw’s ACL recovery is as mysterious as it is scary. Brian O’Neill is also starting to get “up there” in age. The Vikings need dependable OT depth; Skule is accordingly a priority.
Pace Jr.: Flores benched Pace Jr. for poor tackling in 2025. Is he eternally doomed? Purple fans just watched a season where Sam Darnold felt eternally doomed for ruining the Vikings’ 2024 season with two dastardly quarterback performances. He later redeemed himself in Seattle to the tune of a Super Bowl. Like Darnold, perhaps a few poor games from Pace Jr. won’t define his career forever.
Smith: With every day that passes and Smith has not announced his retirement, the odds climb on his return for Year No. 15. Why not come back with Flores still in the mix and use Smith as a situation safety? No one would be mad about it.
Nos. 3 thru 1
3 — Jalen Nailor (WR)
2 — Eric Wilson (LB)
1 — Jalen Redmond
Nailor: Some reports say Nailor’s next contract will fetch $5 million per season. Some reports say $12 million. The Vikings have the cash for Nailor at $5 million; they do not have the cash for Nailor at $12 million. It’s pretty simple.
Wilson: Wilson will turn 32 in September. He’s not the long-term fix at ILB. But wouldn’t it be criminal to let him leave after his 2025 campaign damn near earned the man a Pro Bowl appearance? The Vikings should do both — re-sign Wilson for a year or two and draft a rookie ILB in the middle rounds of April’s draft. Flores should be able to scout the best option.
Redmond: Minnesota owns Redmond’s rights of free agency. Behind Justin Jefferson last season, Redmond was arguably the Vikings’ best player. He’ll be back, and he deserves it. He’s one of the coolest Vikings stories of the last decade. From UFL obscurity to NFL stardom.
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