The Minnesota Vikings' 2025 season was a huge disappointment compared to their 14-win 2024 campaign. This offseason is going to be key to getting back on track in a stacked NFC North but some familiar faces may be missing when competition returns in the fall. 20 players are set to hit free agency this spring and potentially depart Minnesota for new homes. Three of them were starters that contributed heavily and have the greatest chance of needing to be replaced.
That's not to say the Vikings don't want them to return, it's just prudent to think their talents could fetch better paydays elsewhere. Let's examine who that could be and how Minnesota should go about filling their cleats.
WR Jalen Nailor
The 26-year-old sat third on Minnesota's depth chart behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in 2025 but he made his presence felt for opposing defenses. Nailor recorded 444 receiving yards and four touchdowns on a career-high 29 catches. He's expected to command roughly $4.7 million on the open market but the Vikings are in salary cap hell.
There are plenty of economical options available to Minnesota in free agency and even the upcoming draft. New York Giants wideout Isaiah Hodgins, 27, should only cost $1.1 million in 2026 and he's not too far removed from a 392-yard season in 2022. If not him, Texas A&M's KC Concepcion or USC's Ja'Kobi Lane would be a solid day two pickup if either fell to Minnesota at No. 49 overall.
LB Eric Wilson
Wilson, 31, was a major factor in the Vikings' consistently dangerous defense last season. He recorded six and a half sacks while forcing four fumbles. His potential $4.3 million price tag makes him an iffy possibility to return to the team in 2026, but if he does depart, Minnesota has options.
Sticking with the New York theme, Giants linebacker Micah McFadden should only cost $2.4 million after an injury-shortened 2025. He hasn't suffered any setbacks and at 26 years old, he'd be a worthy investment if he doesn't return to East Rutherford, New Jersey.
McFadden recorded three sacks and 12.5 stuffs in 2024 so he looks like a defender poised to raise his ceiling. Minnesota's blitz-heavy scheme would serve him well. If the Vikings wanted to get even younger, reaching for Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez with the 18th overall selection wouldn't be a bad choice either.
P Ryan Wright
Punters tend to either stay with a team for years on end or get passed around like basketballs in the NFL. Wright is just starting his career after four seasons in Minnesota and has been steady enough to be kept around (49.0 yards per punt). But in the event he gets a better offer elsewhere, again, the Vikings have plenty of options.
Essentially, take your pick of the 12 available punters that could hit the market. Minnesota's not going to draft any and that position is cheap enough to not factor into their cap gymnastics. Arizona's Maat Haack had the second-best average last year (51.3 yards per punt) and Baltimore's Jordan Stout had the longest punt of the year (74 yards) outside of Wright (77 yards) and Denver's Jeremy Crawshaw (76 yards).