After last offseason's spending spree, the Minnesota Vikings will naturally be less active this offseason. But, as they also sit just more than $46 million over the salary cap right now, according to Over The Cap, some tough decisions will have to be made.
Some cut-and-dry contract restructurings can create a good bit of cap savings for the Vikings, but some notable cuts are also potentially on the table.
With that in mind, Nick Korte of Over The Cap has seven Vikings on his early list of 100 potential 2026 cut candidates.
The three points of criteria for a player to make Korte's list are these:
- Due a minimum of $4 million in cash for 2026
- Has a negative contract fate greater than 50 percent, based on OTC's "contract fate" calculation
- Within the top 100 in players with the worst OTC valuation above median starter, based on the site's contract valuation diamond
Some Minnesota Vikings fans will not like early speculation about potential offseason departure
Some of the Vikings on Korte's list are not surprising: running back Aaron Jones, tight end T.J. Hockenson, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, and center Ryan Kelly (who may/should retire). A couple more land as incredibly unlikely (linebacker Blake Cashman, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers).
The remaining Viking on the list is sure to draw divided sentiment.
Korte has edge rusher Jonathan Greenard on his list of cut candidates. That is rooted in a negative OTC valuation compared to a median starter more than anything else.
On the surface, Greenard is coming off a down year with just three sacks over 12 games played. But the near-miss sacks he had became a near-weekly gag, and his 16.6 percent pass rush win rate was top-20 among edge rushers with at least 124 pass rush snaps.
A pre-June 1 cut would leave the Vikings with $9.9 million of Greenard's $22.3 million 2026 cap hit as dead money. A post-June cut reduces that dead money to $3.3 million.
On a recent episode of "Thor Talks Purple", SKOR North's Thor Nystrom recently offered the other (obvious?) route when co-host A.J. Fredrickson brought up Greenard.
"He's going to be very desired [on the trade market]. And yeah, I think that's a big move to carve out the money that you need to maneuver in free agency... I think the way to do it is to trade Jonathan Greenard.
Jonathan Greenard is a great player, don't get me wrong. But Jonathan Greenard plays the spot Dallas Turner needs to be playing full-time going forward."
Nystrom pointed to the Vikings being able to clear $19 million in cap space with a post-June 1 trade transaction. A post-June 1 cut would do the same, of course, but Greenard has obvious trade value that takes cutting him outright off the table.
So the bottom line for Nystrom is clear.
"I think that is the big trade candidate this offseason, Jonathan Greenard."
When Greenard missed time this season, Dallas Turner filled in and emerged nicely. The 2024 first-round pick is best-suited for the role Greenard has played in Brian Flores' defense, not the multi-faceted role Andrew Van Ginkel plays on the other edge.
If Flores leaves for a head coaching job or another defensive coordinator post, the equation would naturally change regarding potential moves. Up to and including possibly trading Greenard.
If there is a big trade candidate in play for the Vikings this offseason, and a strong section of fans won't like the sentiment, Greenard does stand out more than anyone.