Minnesota Vikings extensive receiver Jalen Nailor strains up earlier than the snap throughout NFC Wild Card motion towards the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Jan. 13, 2025. Nailor rotated into Minnesota’s offensive personnel packages throughout the postseason matchup because the Vikings tried to generate momentum within the playoff surroundings on the neutral-site stage. Necessary Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Pictures.
With free company and the NFL draft full, the Minnesota Vikings’ roster is fairly properly set in regular-season-speak, presently using 90 gamers, a determine that may shrink to 53 in late August. So, let’s account for who left the franchise.
Minnesota moved on from 16 gamers altogether earlier than camp.
Listed in alphabetical order, these Vikings from the 2025 roster now not work for the purple workforce.
Oodles of Acquainted Names Have Already Left the Vikings’ Roster
These males selected a distinct path in 2026 and past
Washington Commanders defensive deal with Jonathan Allen strains up earlier than a snap towards the Arizona Cardinals on Sep. 29, 2024, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Allen remained one in all Washington’s key defensive anchors throughout the common season, utilizing his energy and expertise to stress quarterbacks and assist stabilize the Commanders’ entrance seven on the highway. Necessary Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Pictures
1. Jonathan Allen | DT
The Vikings needed Caleb Banks for the DT function in 2026, so six weeks earlier than including him within the draft, they launched Allen, who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals quickly after. He’s on Joe Burrow’s workforce now, and due to that relationship, Minnesota doesn’t have a lot of a 2027 cap burden relating to his contract. Out with the previous, in with the younger for Minnesota at defensive deal with.
2. Ty Chandler | RB
Minnesota didn’t need Chandler again in 2026, prompting him to hitch the New Orleans Saints, the place he’ll rapidly encounter a crowded RB room with Travis Etienne, Kenre Miller, Alvin Kamara, Devin Neal, and Audric Estime. He faces an uphill battle to make the Saints’ common season roster.
3. Jonathan Greenard | OLB
Sadly, Minnesota ended the Greenard period after two years, sending him to the Philadelphia Eagles, together with a Seventh-Spherical choose, in alternate for 2 Third-Rounders. The Dallas Turner period is right here, and the Vikings misplaced their finest defensive participant in Greenard.
4. C.J. Ham | FB
Ham spent a decade because the Vikings’ fullback, sticking round in Minnesota from cowl to cowl. He was a lifer. He referred to as it quits this offseason, retiring on the identical day as Adam Thielen.
The Vikings drafted Michigan’s Max Bredeson as Ham’s substitute final month.
5. Javon Hargrave | DT
Like Allen, Minnesota has no room for an previous defensive deal with, reducing Hargrave and watching as he signed with the Inexperienced Bay Packers days later. Minnesota will see Hargrave in Week 1 at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. Hargrave isn’t a real nostril deal with, however within the draft, the Vikings picked Iowa State’s Domonique Orange as a DT swap.
6. Ryan Kelly | C
Kelly sustained three concussions final yr, and like Ham, he retired this offseason. The four-time Professional Bowler had a candy profession, and now the Vikings will presumably hand the middle baton to longtime veteran Blake Brandel.
7. Rondale Moore | WR
Moore dedicated suicide on February twenty first. He’s included on this article for full disclosure and as a tribute to a fantastic particular person.
8. Fabian Moreau | CB
Moreau quietly had a stable 2025 season as Minnesota’s CB3, giving up only a 54.2 passer ranking in 11 video games. Most likely didn’t discover, although, as Moreau isn’t precisely a family title. Nonetheless, the Vikings might do worse for a backup nook.
If the worth is correct, Minnesota ought to contemplate bringing him again as a CB4 or CB5. You possibly can by no means have an excessive amount of dependable depth at nook, particularly for a protection that thrives on versatility and belief.
9. Jalen Nailor | WR
Nailor signed with the Las Vegas Raiders for 3 years and $35 million. He might quite simply be the Raiders’ WR1 or WR2 this season. To backfill his job, the Vikings signed Jauan Jennings every week and a half in the past.
10. Jeff Okudah | CB
Okudah’s tenure as Minnesota’s CB3 was largely unsuccessful. Concussions often saved him off the sphere, and when he did play, his efficiency didn’t encourage confidence in his long-term NFL future. Opposing quarterbacks often focused him, all the time with the utmost success and far to Vikings followers’ chagrin.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Jeff Okudah speaks with reporters after necessary minicamp on June 10, 2025, at TCO Efficiency Heart in Eagan, Minnesota. Okudah mentioned his function within the Vikings’ protection and his offseason progress as the previous first-round choose tried to carve out a significant spot in Brian Flores’ secondary getting into the 2025 marketing campaign. Necessary Credit score: Minnesota Vikings
The previous third general choose now seems eternally saddled with the “2020 draft bust” label.
11. Brett Rypien | QB
Surprisingly, again in Might 2025 — only a yr in the past — Rypien was the Vikings’ QB2. How rapidly issues can change.
Now, he’s possible searching for a QB3-QB4 spot elsewhere, maybe with a workforce in want of an reasonably priced veteran arm for coaching camp. Whereas Rypien might nonetheless be helpful as a camp arm, his path again to Minnesota seems closed.
12. Ben Sims | TE
Sims will strive on the Miami Dolphins TE room for measurement. The Vikings have a wholesome Gavin Bartholomew returning in 2026 and evidently didn’t want Sims at TE3 or TE4.
13. Harrison Smith | S
The Vikings launched Smith in March, however that will not signify the tip of his story in Minnesota.
Smith was nonetheless performing properly late in 2025, suggesting a 2026 return stays a risk, even when in a smaller or situational function. If the Vikings are severe about chasing a Tremendous Bowl with Kyler Murray at quarterback, it will really feel unusual for Smith to be watching from house.
And sure unusual for Smith himself. His return/retirement stays up within the air. A supply instructed VikingsTerritory about Smith’s decision-making course of, “He’s been in Tennessee since January.”
14. Justin Skule | OT
Minnesota Vikings offensive deal with Justin Skule strains up throughout second-half motion towards the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sep. 28, 2025, at Croke Park in Dublin, Eire. Skule labored in safety packages as Minnesota navigated an NFL Worldwide Collection matchup abroad, with the Vikings offense making an attempt to maintain momentum throughout a key regular-season drive. Necessary Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Pictures
Skule spent three seasons in Tampa Bay from 2022 to 2024. He hopped over the Vikings in 2025 however will now be a Buccaneer as soon as once more. For replacements, Minnesota signed Ryan Van Demark from the Buffalo Payments and drafted Northwestern’s Caleb Tiernan.
15. John Wolford | QB
Wolford served as Minnesota’s emergency QB3 final season amidst accidents and chaotic quarterback play. He isn’t anticipated again in 2026. At finest, Wolford may safe a observe squad spot or an emergency QB function elsewhere. Whereas that holds worth within the league, it possible doesn’t align with Minnesota’s plans for its future quarterback — like Rypien’s state of affairs.
16. Ryan Wright | P
Most followers believed Wright can be the Vikings’ punter for the lengthy haul, however he selected the Saints in free company. Minnesota signed Johnny Hekker as his substitute, who was the perfect punter in soccer eight years in the past, and undrafted collegiate stud Brett Thorson. A punter battle is on the best way at coaching camp this summer time.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
