The Minnesota Vikings are set to watch close to 20 players hit free agency this March, a list that includes legendary safety Harrison Smith, who seems likely to retire, and popular wide receiver Adam Thielen, who may or may not join Smith in retirement but doesn't seem likely to return.
Third-string running back Ty Chandler, who has been on injured reserve since suffering a knee injury in the Vikings' Week 1 win over the Chicago Bears, is likely also out the door, and wideout Jalen Nailor may end up having to find a new home as well if Minnesota signs Jordan Addison to a lucrative long-term extension.
And then there's fullback C.J. Ham, who has spent his entire professional career in Minnesota after the Vikings signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2016.
After switching from fullback to running back early in his collegiate career at Division II Augustana (SD), the 5-foot-11, 250-pounder reverted to fullback in his second year with the Vikings.
That was really the only way he was going to be promoted from the practice squad, where he spent the vast majority of his rookie season, to the main roster, where he's been a consistent presence since 2017.
Is C.J. Ham nearing the end of his tenure with the Minnesota Vikings?
Ham has undoubtedly been an important piece of the Vikings' offense since then, obviously more so as a blocker than a runner, and has even tallied a pair of Pro Bowl selections, the first in 2019 and the second in 2023.
But it's no secret that the fullback position has been in decline across the NFL for quite some time now.
This season, less than half the teams in the league have a fullback on their active roster, and even those that do don't use them all that often on offense, the only real exception being the San Francisco 49ers, who, of course, employ nine-time Pro Bowler Kyle Juszczyk.
Ham has seen more snaps than usual in recent weeks, taking a season-high 31.8 percent of Minnesota's offensive snaps this past Sunday against the Green Bay Packers and 27.8 percent the week before against the Chicago Bears.
Before that, however, in the three games in which he appeared, the Duluth native took 18.5 percent in Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns, 17.4 percent in Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6, and 10.8 percent in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens.
With all due respect to the veteran, is that really someone whom the Vikings should be paying $4.325 million per season?
Yes, they could probably sign him for far less this upcoming offseason, but would even a less lucrative contract be worth it for a player who will be 33 when the 2026 season starts and has already missed more than half of the Vikings' games this season with multiple injuries? Probably not.
We'll have to wait and see how the situation plays out, but don't be surprised if the Vikings join the trend of playing fullback-free football following this season.