Over the course of the last three years, Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been getting the roster in a healthy spot to make a Super Bowl run. 

The competitive rebuild that he ended up going through with was nothing short of a success. The Vikings went 34-17, have top end talent at premium positions, and a young quarterback in J.J. McCarthy to elevate the roster to new heights. 

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Vikings salary cap situation raises multiple questions

Now that we are firmly into the offseason, we are taking a look at the Vikings from every angle. One of those angles is with the salary cap. The Andrew Van Ginkel extension ended up clearing out $1 million in cap space. As things currently sit with the Vikings, they have $18,259,572 per Over The Cap.

Now, they won't have that kind of cap space for long, as the Vikings will be using cap space in multiple ways:

• Signing draft class: $4-5 million
• Practice squad: $4-5 million
• In season signings: $4-5 million

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Anything else that the Vikings don't use will project forward into the 2026 season. That money will end up being really key, as things will get really interesting with the salary cap going forward.

Right now, the Vikings are projected to be $32,425,321 over the salary cap with just 29 players set to be under contract. That's a bonkers number for the Vikings to be over with how few contracts they currently have signed and just $1,628,000 in dead money from Garrett Bradbury's contract.

Not all hope is lost though, as the Vikings have a lot of flexibility at their disposal. Adofo-Mensah can end up restructuring or extending multiple contracts to maximize their salary cap space.

• RT Brian O'Neill: $18.9 million base salary
• EDGE Jonathan Greenard: $18.39 million base salary
• TE T.J. Hockenson: $15.4 million base salary
• WR Justin Jefferson: $24.99 million base salary
• EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel: $15.39 million base salary
• LT Christian Darrisaw: $13,291,929 base salary
• DT Javon Hargrave: $14.2 million base salary
• DT Jonathan Allen: $16 million base salary
• CB Byron Murphy Jr.: $16 million base salary
• LG Will Fries: $12.61 million base salary

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They can easily maneuver to get under the salary cap and then some. Realistically, the Vikings could clear upward of $100 million in salary cap space, which would allow them to attack free agency next offseason if they so choose.

Honestly, it's more about keeping flexibility moving forward than adding a ton of players to the roster. The Vikings will have their first two days of draft picks at their disposal next season, which is going to be huge for the next stage of the Vikings' push for the next stage.

The good news for the Vikings is the 2027 season still has over $80 million in projected salary cap space. Adofo-Mensah and the front office will have a lot of decisions to make moving forward.

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