As Minnesota Vikings free agents go, one name stands above the rest right now. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores does not have a contract, and he is (as he should) exploring his options to be a head coach or even a coordinator elsewhere.
Once Flores' situation is resolved, which it will be one way or another before the end of the month, the focus will then shift to Vikings players who are set to hit free agency in March. Some will be back, while others are far more likely to be gone if the market for their services takes shape along the expected lines.
In terms of free agents, the Vikings can't afford to lose. Flores is No. 1 until he's back or not. But we can start to move toward considering players who should be re-signed.
With that in mind, Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus has named one 2026 free agent each NFL team can't afford to lose.
A free agent the Minnesota Vikings can ill-afford to lose is crystal clear (and tied to Brian Flores?)
For the Vikings, Locker went with linebacker Eric Wilson as the looming free agent they can't afford to lose.
"The Vikings significantly regressed from their unbelievable 2024 season, with subpar quarterback play being a major prong. Still, Minnesota’s defense ended the year ranked sixth in EPA per play, with Wilson offering contributions all over the field."
"Wilson finished with a 62.1 PFF overall grade, mostly due to his issues in coverage. Yet, he was good against the run with a 72.9 PFF run-defense grade and a team-leading 52 stops. On top of that, Wilson added 37 pressures, the most among linebackers."
"Admittedly, the Vikings don’t have a laundry list of notable free-agents-to-be. Then again, Wilson has proven his productivity in multiple departments, even if the team seeks an upgrade at the linebacker position."
Wilson started his career with the Vikings as an undrafted rookie in 2017, and he came back to Minnesota as a free agent last offseason. If needed, it was easy to see him as a versatile defensive piece Flores would have plenty of use for.
A Week 1 injury for Blake Cashman opened the door to more playing time for Wilson. After Week 2 he never played less than 73 percent of the defensive snaps in a game, on his way to 115 total tackles (second on the team), a team-leading 17 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks (third on the team) and four forced fumbles (tied for the team lead).
Wilson has put himself in position for a solid multi-year deal in free agency, and the Vikings should have great interest in bringing him back even with that investment in mind.
The more interesting questions are how Wilson would fit in a defensive scheme that isn't Flores' in Minnesota, and if he'd consider following Flores elsewhere with that scheme fit in in mind. Beyond making Flores an offer that would keep him from making a lateral move, the Vikings don't have any real control over the resolution to those questions right now.