A Comprehensive Minnesota Vikings Mock Free Agency (Part 2: Filling Out the Roster)

[Editor’s Note: This is a continuation of Matt Fries’ Mock Free Agency Part 1, which you can find here]

Minnesota Vikings interim GM Rob Brzezinski will have his work cut out for him as he tries to improve the roster. The team has several holes and is well over the salary cap for 2026. The NFL has finalized its salary cap at $301.2 million for the 2026 season, which means the Vikings are $45.5 million over the cap, per OverTheCap.

To be fair, the team can easily move money around to get cap compliant, and Wide Left has covered how the Vikings can get under the cap, which impending free agents the team should keep, and what needs the team will have heading into free agency. This piece will combine those moves and dive into available outside free agents, creating a full mock free agency for the team.

Author’s Note: I want this exercise to be as realistic as possible, but it is not necessarily a prediction. In some of these situations, I’m suggesting a move the team is unlikely to make, but it’s the better choice. There are many winding paths, and at some point, you just have to make a decision. Information on the salary cap and existing contracts comes from OTC. For contract projections, I projected the structures myself, but I used multiple resources to determine contract values, including PFF’s projections by Josh Queipo, The Athletic’s projections by Daniel Popper, and, when those were missing, player value judgments from OTC and Spotrac.

As can be seen above, the Vikings have several free agents. While they don’t have many starters leaving, there are a few players who will be critical to re-sign. I’m projecting they retain 11 players total, all of whom are rosterable in 2026.

There are a few rosterable players that I’m choosing not to re-sign, but I could see bringing them back as bottom-of-the-roster players.

Salary Cap Impact: $4,333,333 mil in 2026, $5,333,333 mil in 2027, $11,333,33 mil in 2028

Nailor was one of the most difficult projections in this entire piece. The different resources I used have his contract projections all over the map. PFF has him ranked as the 12th-best WR on the market, 114th overall among free agents, and projects him to get a one-year, $3.5 million deal.

The Athletic has him ranked fifth among receivers and 29th overall, earning a three-year, $36 million deal. OTC lists his value at just over $7 million, while Spotrac lists him at just under $5 million.

I like what Nailor brings to the receiver room: he can play all three positions, is a willing blocker, gets off the press, and threatens defenses vertically. But Nailor’s production lags far behind, and he never eclipsed 500 yards or 30 receptions with the Vikings. Even KJ Osborn, who got just $4 million in free agency, had three consecutive seasons of 500+ yards for the Vikings.

ome team could well take a chance on Nailor at the $12 million/year The Athletic projects, but it’s fair to split the valuations and project a three-year, $21 million deal for Nailor. This offers a nice pay bump while not overextending for a player who will be the team’s WR3.

For structure, I’m giving Nailor a $7 million signing bonus and $12 million fully guaranteed over the first two years of the deal. This will mean a $2 million salary in 2026 and a $3 million salary in 2027. The Vikings will have an opportunity to get out of the contract at that point, but if Nailor plays well (and, potentially, the team moves on from Addison), he can earn $9 million in 2028. So, the deal is a two-year, $12 million contract with a $9 million option.

If some other team chooses to bet big on Nailor, the other FA options at WR are questionable at best. My two favorites from the bargain bin are Tyquan Thornton and Jahan Dotson. Dotson seems to be entirely overlooked, as neither PFF nor The Athletic has him ranked in the top 150. Dotson was the fifth wheel in a loaded Eagles skill group, much like Nailor was the forgotten man at times on the Vikings.

Running 2026 Operating Cap Space Tally: $34,619,734

Salary Cap Impact: $3,250,000 mil in 2026, $6,750,000 mil in 2027

Wilson is another tricky projection, as he suddenly broke out with the Vikings in his ninth season at 31 years old. His production was dependent on Brian Flores’ scheme, where he was an incredible blitzer.

So, Wilson might not translate well into other schemes. He is undersized compared to other LBs, like Kaden Elliss and Frankie Luvu, who have made names for themselves. The biggest risk is in Washington, if Daronte Jones wants to bring some of Flores’ scheme over and thinks Wilson can help teach other players.

Like with Nailor, the projections are split on Wilson. PFF ranks him egregiously low at 269th and does not have a contract projection for him. The Athletic has him getting a three-year, $19.5 million deal. My projection for Wilson is a two-year, $10 million deal that rewards a player who had a fantastic year on a small contract without breaking the bank.

This deal is similar to the one Jordan Hicks, an aging player at that time, signed with the Vikings in 2022. I’m giving Wilson a $2.5 million signing bonus, adding $2 million in salary in 2026, and $5.5 million to round out the contract in 2027. For the deal, I’ve projected $5 million guaranteed, which means there would be at least some pain, $500k, if the Vikings cut him before the 2027 season.

Running 2026 Operating Cap Space Tally: $32,254,734