Minnesota Vikings: 3 players who won’t be back in 2022

The Minnesota Vikings could stand to lose these three players after the 2021 season.

Even though they have suffered some heartbreaking, last-second losses this season, the Minnesota Vikings are still very much in the playoff picture. With the NFC North title already belonging to the Green Bay Packers, the Vikings are in the thick of the Wild Card race.

Regardless of whether they make the playoffs or not, there could be some huge changes this offseason. The team has 19 players set to hit free agency after this season and could have to make some decisions in regards to freeing up cap space.

Here are three players who may not return in 2022.

Vikings: 3 players who won’t return for the 2022 season

Garrett Bradbury, C

In the 2019 NFL Draft, the Vikings selected North Carolina State center Garrett Bradbury with the 18th-overall pick. The hope was that Bradbury would be their stalwart interior offensive lineman of the future, but that has not gone to plan.

This season, Bradbury started in the first seven games and struggled. He later ended up on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Despite being cleared to return, he was benched briefly for Mason Cole. Bradbury ultimately returned to the starting lineup in Week 13 against the Detroit Lions, had a good performance and followed it up with a solid showing the next week against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While it is more likely than not that Bradbury will return for the 2022 season, there is a possibility that the cap-strapped Vikings could do something what some may consider a bit drastic, especially if the front office were to be overhauled this offseason. If they were to trade Bradbury, they’d free up $2.25 million, per Spotrac. It will be an interesting decision for Minnesota’s front office.