Minnesota Vikings

Ryan Kelly

C

Kelly will step away from the game after a 10-year NFL career that started when he was selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Colts. He signed a two-year contract with the Vikings in March of 2025 but suffered three concussions during the regular season, which limited him to eight games. Kelly was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and was a Second-Team All-Pro in the 2020 season while playing for Indianapolis.

Jonathan Greenard

LB

Greenard could be a cap casualty for Minnesota. The 28-year-old racked up 24.5 sacks across the 2023 and 2024 seasons but had a down season in 2025, recording just 38 tackles (19 solo), including 3.0 sacks, across 12 games.

Aaron Jones Sr.

RB

Jones was scheduled for a $9 million base salary in 2026, $2 million of which was going to kick in on the third day of the new league year. Per Schefter, the move will ultimately save the Vikings $7.75 million against the salary cap. Jones was limited to 12 regular-season games due to a slew of injuries, finishing with 132 carries for 548 yards and two touchdowns while adding 28 catches (on 41 targets) for 199 yards and a score. With Jones set to be cut, Jordan Mason currently sits atop the Vikings' RB depth chart heading into the new league year. Jones will turn 32 in December, but he should garner interest from teams looking to add a versatile veteran backfield option.

J.J. McCarthy

QB

As the coming season approaches, the report notes that Vikings are aiming to see a "baseline" level of quarterback play that's higher than what they had in 2025, a campaign in which McCarthy dealt with multiple injuries, including a right hand issue that forced him out of the team's regular-season finale. When asked if he still believes McCarthy -- the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft -- can be a franchise quarterback, coach Kevin O'Connell said, "I believe the answer to that question is yes.'" That said, Brzezinski's comments suggest that the Vikings could look to explore bringing in signal-caller help via various avenues. With that in mind, as NFL free agency looms next month, Brzezinski noted "we have a couple of weeks, and so we're just exploring every option that could be out there. We're casting a wide net."