6 Vikings could be playing their final game at U.S. Bank Stadium Sunday led by expensive weapon and future Hall of Famer

The Minnesota Vikings are going to look much different in 2026, and these veterans could be moving on after the season.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
Add as preferred source on Google
Dec 1, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) celebrates his touchdown with tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) against the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings will play their final game of the 2025 season on Sunday afternoon when they take on the Green Bay Packers. While the game won’t have stakes other than pride, the Vikings will still work hard to earn a win and secure their third winning record in four seasons under head coach Kevin O’Connell.

While there will be a lot of returning faces for the Vikings, it wouldn’t be surprising to see major turnover on the roster. The back end of the roster is usually filled with undrafted free agents and one-year contracts, but the top of it likely will see the most turnover. These players will possibly be playing their final games at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.

Minnesota Vikings potentially playing their final game at U.S. Bank Stadium

S Harrison Smith

After watching Smith’s performance against the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day, you would’ve thought he’d just turned 30 and had years left in his career. Smith had three tackles, three passes batted down, a sack, an interception, and was a menace on all three levels of the field.

Unfortunately, Smith is 36 and is likely to retire after the season. If Thursday’s game was the last at U.S. Bank Stadium, it would have been legendary.

DT Javon Hargrave

This offseason, the Vikings made a serious effort to improve their defensive line from a pass-rush perspective. They got that from the interior, but it cost a pretty penny.

Javon Hargrave has just 3.5 sacks and 31 pressures on 284 pass rush reps. That’s not much production for his expensive two-year, $30 million contract, and the emergence of Jalen Redmond has the Vikings in a good spot if they move on.

ILB Eric Wilson

There hasn’t been a bigger surprise on the defensive side of the football than Eric Wilson. He started in Week 2 after Blake Cashman injured his hamstring in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears. He continued to start upon Cashman’s return in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles, taking over as the other starting linebacker with Ivan Pace Jr. on the second level.

Even though Wilson has the second-most snaps on the team, he’s in his ninth year in the NFL and could command more money than the Vikings are willing to pay.

WR Jalen Nailor

The Vikings traded for Adam Thielen ahead of Week 1 due to Jordan Addison‘s suspension because they weren’t sure what Nailor would bring to the table. He injured his hand and needed a procedure to fix it ahead of the season opener against the Chicago Bears, but he thrived in multiple instances when given the opportunity.

Nailor might be fifth on the team in receptions, but he’s tied for the lead with four touchdowns, and developed a rapport with starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy on back shoulder fades. He’s likely to get a decent-sized contract in free agency, arguably one that the Vikings can’t afford.

RB Aaron Jones

The last two are tough ones for the Vikings. They are both talented players, but age and cost could be problems. Aaron Jones has been the best running back on the roster, but he’s entering the final year of a two-year, $20 million contract, and he’s consistently getting injured, whether it be a shoulder, ankle, hamstring, or hip.

When he’s playing, Jones is a difference-maker. However, always being injured is a problem, and it might be why the Vikings choose to move on.

TE T.J. Hockenson

This is the most controversial on the entire list, but if you ask the fanbase, it won’t be at all. They believe he’s not worth the money he will make next year, given his $21.355 million salary cap hit. His numbers are not up to par, but it’s not his fault.

The Vikings needed him to chip consistently this year due to the issues on the offensive line with Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill missing multiple games. He still looks like a top-five to 10 tight end in the NFL, and should be on the team.

Related Articles