Latest announced Minnesota Vikings roster move sends a strong signal at what to expect in 2026

The Vikings’ salary cap issues are forcing some baffling decisions.

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings are in a massive salary cap crunch, and they are making some major decisions that will impact the 2026 season. They are already set to move on from running back Aaron Jones and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, and reports surfaced that they will also be moving on from defensive tackle Jonathan Allen.

The move is a puzzling one for the Vikings. They signed Allen to a three-year contract worth up to $51 million, including a $14 million signing bonus. He will incur a dead cap hit of $17.53 million with $6.53 million in savings, and that improves to $12.66 million dead and $11.2 million in savings with a post-June 1st designation.

Minnesota Vikings now have massive defensive tackle need

Moving on from Allen sends a strong signal that the moves Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made were the reason why they struggled. Both Allen and Hargrave being expected to depart the Vikings means they have a serious hole at defensive tackle to address this offseason. Jalen Redmond is going to be with the team after being given the exclusive rights free agent tender on Wednesday, but the players behind them are scarce.

Levi Drake Rodriguez and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins will be the only other players on the roster who were in the rotation last season. They do have young upstarts in Elijah Williams and the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defender in Jaylon Hutchings from the Calgary Stampeders who could work in, but they will certainly be prioritizing the position in the NFL Draft.

It’s a baffling move in some regards, but it’s another example of the Wilf’s not wanting to spend money. There will likely be some offset language with the $8 million he is guaranteed by the Vikings, but they won’t have to pay his full $16.75 million salary. Keep an eye on both Caleb Banks and Peter Woods in the first round of the NFL Draft.

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