It has been an interesting offseason for our Minnesota Vikings. There were some moves we would have like to have seen made but overall, they have done a very good job of being frugal with the wallet and not making any big signings. They did give James Pierre a 2 yr 8.25M before signing Jauan Jennings which occurred after the compensatory pick calculation expiration date. As of today, overthecap has the Vikings with $11,508,167 in cap space. They will get another 12.5M in cap space from the Harrison
Smith and Jonathan Allen post June 1 releases. That will give them roughly 24M in cap space before the Jennings contract details are applied. I imagine that there will be a void year or two included in the Jennings contract. There is plenty of space to make moves and there could be even more once they extend O’Neill which I think should happen.
I am not sure about the Eric Johnson and Isaiah Loudermilk signings but they are minimum level deals and their roster spots are not guaranteed. Having veterans to push al the youts is not a bad thing. I think they simply must sign a veteran edge rusher because all they have behind Turner and Van Ginkel are undrafted players. I like Derek Barnett and Jadaveon Clowney. Joey Bosa would be nice but he wants to go to the 49ers apparently. I hope the team can get something done. Maybe there is a trade that can be worked out? What do you think?
Top 101 NFL free agents of 2026: Ranking the best players available
https://www.nfl.com/news/top-101-nfl-free-agents-of-2026-who-are-the-best-players-available
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
15 trade candidates heading into 2026 NFL training camps
https://www.pff.com/news/15-trade-candidates-heading-into-2026-nfl-training-camps
LB Blake Cashman, Minnesota Vikings
Once the centerpiece of Minnesota’s fabulous defense, Cashman could be on the move after a down year.
In 2025, Cashman didn’t look like the strong linebacker of the last two years. His overall PFF grade dipped from 72.0 to 63.6, punctuated by his 48.6 PFF coverage grade. Nevertheless, he was good as a downhill player with a 7.7% run stop rate and a 5.3% missed tackle clip.
In light of Cashman’s decline as well as this being the final year of his contract, the Vikings drafted linebacker Jake Golday in the second round as well as extended Eric Wilson. That suggests that either he or Ivan Pace Jr. could have their days numbered in purple.
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S Ronnie Hickman, Cleveland Browns
Although the Browns were widely lauded for assembling one of the league’s best draft classes, their rookie crop might have ripple effects on someone like Hickman.
The 24-year-old has been sneakily good since being an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State, producing at least a 70.6 overall PFF grade in every year. In 2025 specifically, Hickman thrived in coverage with a 75.3 PFF coverage mark — the 10th-best among qualified safeties — while averaging a sound 29.0 snaps per reception.
After Cleveland drafted Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the second round, it suggests that either Hickman or Grant Delpit isn’t in the team’s long-term future. Both are on expiring contracts, although Hickman seems like the better trade piece given his superior production and younger age.
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Dl Jer’Zhan Newton, Washington Commanders
The Commanders relentlessly fortified their ailing defense this offseason, including along the defensive line. However, that negatively affects someone like Newton.
The 36th overall pick in 2024 hasn’t blossomed as Washington would’ve hoped, notching a career 50.0 overall PFF grade with a 38.6 PFF run-defense grade. Yet what has been encouraging is Newton’s pass-rushing, as his 9.3% pass-rush win rate placed in the 63rd percentile last year.
The Commanders inked former Texans interior defender Tim Settle to a three-year, $25.5 million contract during free agency, which only pushes Newton down the depth chart. The 23-year-old former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year could garner attention for teams looking to bet on his upside.
4 Vikings Trades We’d Like to See This Summer
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/vikings-trades-summer-2026
The Vikings’ Offseason Threw These Curveballs
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/vikings-offseason-curveballs-2026
Minnesota Vikings’ quiet offseason did everything to maximize the one thing Kevin O’Connell needs to get right
https://atozsports.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings-news/minnesota-vikings-quiet-offseason-maximized-quarterback-position-kyler-murray-jj-mccarthy/
Vikings QB Kyler Murray labeled X-factor in NFC North
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vikings-qb-kyler-murray-labeled-135602239.html
Lunchbreak: Detailed Quest to Hire Next Vikings General Manager in Progress
https://www.vikings.com/news/general-manager-search-interview-progress-adrian-peterson
The Vikings Can Find An Advantage During An Obvious GM Search
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/the-vikings-can-find-an-advantage-during-an-obvious-gm-search/
Vikings Film Breakdown: Studying Rookie Defensive Lineman & Top 2026 Draft Pick Caleb Banks
https://www.vikings.com/news/caleb-banks-defensive-lineman-film-breakdown-review-analysis-2026
Which NFL QBs Have the Most Help? Ranking All 32 Supporting Casts
https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/which-nfl-qbs-have-most-help-ranking-all-32-supporting-casts
No 22. Minnesota Vikings
They certainly have given whomever is their quarterback some good receivers to work with. Justin Jefferson is as good as any in football when everything is working right with the offense, and Jordan Addison is a strong No. 2. The Vikings also went out and added the underrated Jauan Jennings to give the QB another option. And TE T.J. Hockenson is a big weapon in the passing game, too — at least when he’s healthy.
Beyond that, though, they really have to lean into the mind of head coach Kevin O’Connell because there are some issues. The offensive line was not good nor healthy last season. And they lean way too much on 32-year-old, oft-injured RB Aaron Jones. That lack of a dependable running game is big. It’s why defenses could tee off on Vikings QBs, who were sacked 60 times last season — tied for second-most in the league.
Vikings Film Breakdown: Studying New Wide Receiver Jauan Jennings
https://www.vikings.com/news/jauan-jennings-wide-receiver-film-breakdown-review-2026
Vikings Urged to Take Flier on 3rd-Year Playmaker Despite Crowded RB Room
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/minnesota-vikings/trey-benson-nfl-trade-rumors-news/
Vikings’ Caleb Banks Gets Diamond ‘Bank Vault’ Chain After NFL Draft, New Video Shows
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25430453-vikings-caleb-banks-gets-diamond-bank-vault-chain-after-nfl-draft-new-video-shows
Vikings Rumor Report: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Warren Moon’s Take, Patrick Jones II
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/vikings-rumors-thibodeaux-moon-jones
Ranking the Vikings’ 2026 Opponents from Easiest to Hardest
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/ranking-the-vikings-2026-opponents-from-easiest-to-hardest
Sam Darnold “totally understands” Vikings’ decision to move on from him
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/sam-darnold-totally-understands-vikings-decision-to-move-on-from-him
J.J. McCarthy May Thrive In A Real QB Competition
https://zonecoverage.com/2026/minnesota-vikings-news/j-j-mccarthy-may-thrive-in-a-real-qb-competition/
Why the Vikings Keeping J.J. McCarthy Doesn’t Prove He’s Competing for QB1
https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/onsi/why-the-vikings-keeping-jj-mccarthy-doesnt-prove-hes-competing-for-qb1
Vikings Urged to Make a Risky Move
https://purpleptsd.com/2026/vikings/top_news/vikings-urged-risky-move/
The Vikings Might Have an OLB Problem
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/analysis/vikings-olb-problem-2026
The Vikings Put Huge Down Payment on New Defender
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/the-vikings-down-payment
Brian Flores Keeps Landing Behemoths for the Trenches
https://vikingsterritory.com/2026/news/top_news/brian-flores-land-behemoths
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