The Minnesota Vikings greatly surpassed expectations in 2024, winning 14 games when the betting over-under was far lower. Another strong run in free agency lines up another good season in 2025
But as always, players have their eye on what's coming and what's at stake for them the next season. More specifically, players entering their contract year are eyeing their next deal and thus motivated to perform well.
With that, these five Vikings will be playing for a contract in 2025.
Which Minnesota Vikings players will be playing for a bigger contract this season?
Josh Oliver - TE
Oliver has owned his role as the Vikings' No. 2 tight end over the last two seasons, with 26 of his 44 catches over that span going for a first down. Pro Football Focus has graded him as a top-10 tight end overall in both campaigns, with high marks for his run blocking.
Buried in the shadow of Mark Andrews in Baltimore and now T.J. Hockenson in Minnesota, it's worth wondering what Oliver could do as someone's TE1. How much of a chance he'll have to show that next season is of course iffy/dependent on Hockenson's health, but teams that dive into tape could easily think they can unveil a gem by offering a larger role.
Johnny Mundt left the Vikings for a two-year, $5.5 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. A two-year deal for double that in total reported money next offseason is possible for Oliver.
Rondale Moore - WR
Moore never suited up for the Atlanta Falcons after suffering a torn ACL in training camp last August, but the Vikings were among multiple suitors he had in free agency and got a deal done with him.
If healthy, Moore undeniably brings a unique skill set to the Vikings' offense. On the health front, though, head coach Kevin O'Connell invited a question about Moore's readiness for a normal training camp at the Owner's Meetings this week when addressing the health status of some newcomers.
"The only one that I believe we’ll be really looking to see if he has a normal training camp or not is Rondale Moore, as far as I’ve been told", O'Connell said.
Moore not being ready for Day 1 of training camp does not necessarily mean he won't be at full strength when the season starts. Any concerns in that regard right now are easy to make more serious than they should be, in the name of headline fodder to stretch what O'Connell actually said.
What is not in question is Moore finishing his rehab from a major injury, ideally without setbacks, and how he will be looking to rehab his value on the field in 2025.
Ivan Pace - ILB
Pace transferred from Miami of Ohio to Cincinnati for his final college season, perhaps with an eye on bolstering his draft stock, and he theoretically did so as well as he could have (10 sacks, 81 total tackles, 22 tackles for loss). So it was surprising he went undrafted in 2023, but the Vikings ended up with a real find.
Pace played in all 17 games as a rookie, with 11 starts and 102 total tackles. Pro Football Focus graded him as a top-20 off-the-ball linebacker in the league. Things weren't quite as good overall last year, as he missed six games, but he still had 72 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three sacks.
Pace is slated to be a restricted free agent in 2026, so the Vikings control his rights for two more seasons. It feels like a lock they'll tender him at a high level next offseason, but with another productive season, Pace can force the front office's hand to give him a nice multi-year deal.
Josh Metellus - S
After three seasons primarily as a special teamer for the Vikings, Metellus has become a versatile piece in Flores' defense. Lining up across the formation (free safety, slot corner, in the box, as an outside linebacker), the 2020 sixth-round pick has topped 100 tackles in each of the last two seasons while denting the stat sheet across the board.
How successful Metellus would be on another team and in a different defensive scheme is an easy question. But the versatility he has shown he has will play anywhere, and he has extra contract year motivation to get what may be his biggest bite at the financial apple.
Andrew Van Ginkel - Edge
Van Ginkel's history with Flores was surely a driving force for the Vikings to want to sign him, and his willingness to come to Minnesota. A two-year, $20 million deal last offseason quickly turned into an absolute bargain last season.
Van Ginkel tallied 11.5 sacks in 2024, as his versatility was fully unveiled back in Flores' defensive scheme (two pick-sixes, 18 tackles for loss).
Upon being easily named the most underpaid Vikings player for 2025 by Bleacher Report, writer Brad Gagnon noted the inherent motivation Van Ginkel will have next season.
"A rare veteran with a $10-million-a-year contract on this list, Van Ginkel outperformed his free-agent deal by a massive margin in a second-team All-Pro 2024 campaign. He would have landed a much bigger contract than $20 million over two years had he done that one season earlier in Miami. If he proves it wasn’t a fluke in ‘25, he could double that AAV as a free agent again."
Van Ginkel has to prove last season wasn't an outlier in an otherwise comfortably unspectacular career. He didn't even lead the Vikings in sacks, so that lays into what he will strive for in 2025, and a payday will come if he gets it done.