For the Minnesota Vikings, the 2025 offseason is getting underway a lot sooner than they had anticipated after the team's tough playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday.
In 2024, the Vikings were able to finish with a 14-3 record in the regular season. But now, Minnesota must figure out how to build its roster to accomplish even more during the 2025 campaign.
One part of that process is deciding which players to keep and which ones to move on from. When looking at the guys the Vikings should part with this year, some of the choices seem obvious.
Minnesota Vikings players who definitely won't be returning to the team for the 2025 season
Sam Darnold - QB
In his first season with Minnesota, Sam Darnold had himself a career-best performance by throwing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns. However, the price to bring back Darnold seems like it's going to be way too high to convince the Vikings to re-sign him and keep J.J. McCarthy on the bench.
Patrick Jones II - OLB
Despite missing Minnesota's final two games of the 2024 campaign, Patrick Jones II put together the best season he's ever had in a purple and gold uniform. But Jones will hit free agency in March and he could potentially get some offers from other NFL teams to be a starter for them next year, which is a role he won't have in 2025 if he re-signs with the Vikings.
Dalton Risner - OG
Dalton Risner took over as Minnesota's starting right guard in Week 11 and he held onto the job for the remainder of the 2024 season. Risner will be a free agent this year, and despite the fact that he performed better at right guard than Ed Ingram, the Vikings would be better off finding a more permanent solution at the right guard spot than re-signing him.
Stephon Gilmore - CB
Stephon Gilmore just finished his 13th season in the NFL, and after Monday's loss to the Rams, he said that he will be contemplating retirement from the league during the next few weeks. Even if Gilmore doesn't retire, the Vikings should be looking to get younger at the cornerback position this offseason, which means not re-signing someone who will turn 35 next September.
Cam Robinson - LT
Acquired by Minnesota in the middle of the 2024 campaign in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cam Robinson performed solidly as the team's left tackle after Christian Darrisaw suffered a season-ending knee injury. With Darrisaw expected to be back from his injury in time for most of the 2025 season, re-signing Robinson when he hits free agency in March doesn't make any sense at all for the Vikings.
Cam Bynum - S
As much of a fan favorite that Cam Bynum has developed into during his tenure with Minnesota, the team probably won't want to pay him a significant amount to return after he becomes a free agent in March. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has made an emphasis to spend money on position groups that are more essential to the team's potential success, and unfortunately for Bynum, safety is not one of those essential position groups.