Vikings' 2025 Free Agents, Goals and Draft Needs After NFL Playoff Loss | News, Information, Shows, Statistics, and Rumors

Restricted/Rights Only Non-Rights Sponsors

The Vikings should be commended for what they put together in 2024. However, keeping that legendary team together could be difficult. Minnesota is expected to have them $73.3 million in the available cup space. However, it also has several sponsors that are expected to hit the market.

Guard Dalton Risner and tackle Cam Robinson are the starters on the offensive line, though Robinson could be out of action if Christian Darrisaw returns quickly from his knee injury. Aaron Jones and Cam Akers are Minnesota's top two players.

The core of the secondary — including running backs Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy, Shaquill Griffin and Fabian Moreau, plus safeties Camryn Byron and Harrison Smith — is expected to hit the market. So are front seven contributors like Jerry Tillery and Jonathan Bullard.

Of course, the biggest question will come at quarterback. Darnold played very well in 2024, but Minnesota only used the first pick on Michigan's JJ McCarthy. McCarthy also missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, so the Vikings won't know what to expect from him moving forward.

A difficult decision is approaching. The Vikings could hand the keys to McCarthy, franchise-tag Darnold to give McCarthy another season of development or sign Darnold to a multi-year deal and have McCarthy as a backup plan and/or QB of the future.

According to ESPN's Jeremy FowlerA “small majority” of league executives believe Minnesota will keep Darnold in some way or fashion. Doing so, however, can greatly reduce the team's role.

Quarterbacks don't come cheap on the open market, and the price tag will be higher than that $38.3 million it was in 2024.