A five-game winning streak to close things gave them an above .500 record, but the 2025 season obviously didn't go as planned for the Minnesota Vikings. Now, lots of questions are coming for what is lined up to be a very interesting offseason.
It will, of course, have to come correct, but right now, according to Over The Cap, the Vikings are more than $38 million in the red against the salary cap for 2026. Some contract restructures will help things, but last offseason's spending spree will come anywhere close to being repeated. And with that, some notable names will be departing.
ESPN.com is taking an ongoing look at the offseason outlook for teams that have been eliminated from the postseason, broken down into some key categories. The Vikings are, of course, among the 18 teams that are not taking part in the playoffs, so their offseason outlook is already fully fleshed out.
Big offseason prediction about Minnesota Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson is looking inevitable
In the category of "big prediction for the offseason" in regard to the Vikings, analyst Aaron Schatz went with a notable player departure.
"With little cap space, the Vikings will say goodbye to tight end T.J. Hockenson, who has had injury issues and is coming off two straight years with fewer than 500 receiving yards. He was tied for 33rd among tight ends in ESPN's receiver scores through Week 17.
Cutting Hockenson would save the Vikings nearly $9 million in cap space before June 1 and $16 million if designated after June 1."
After acquiring Hockenson from the Detroit Lions at the 2022 trade deadline, the Vikings rewarded him with a four-year, $66 million contract extension in 2023. With 155 receptions for 1,479 yards over his first 22 games in Purple, he largely justified being among the highest-paid tight ends in the league.
Then Hockenson suffered a torn ACL late in the 2023 season. He missed the first seven games of the 2024 season as he worked his way back, but he ended the season with a touchdown in the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams to foster some hope heading into this season.
But it was not to be. An injury-riddled offensive line led to Hockenson having to help in pass protection more than he ever has in his career, in terms of percentage of his pass play snaps (7.9 percent, according to Pro Football Focus).
Hockenson also missed the last two games of this season due to a shoulder injury. Over his last 25 games, as his Vikings' tenure can currently be split into equal increments, he has 92 receptions for 893 yards and three touchdowns.
Hockenson's drop in production this season was primarily the product of an altered role, and not all his fault. But it's hard to justify a $21.35 million cap hit for 2026, and deeper metrics like the one Schatz cited are not kind to him as he now moves toward his age-29 season.
As the Vikings look for ways to save cap dollars, Hockenson stands out as a potential offseason cut. While a post-June 1 designation would be far better from a cap savings and dead money standpoint, the move to part ways feels inevitable.