A Minnesota Vikings fan cheered from the Metrodome stands whereas sporting a adorned helmet with a bear speared on prime as Minnesota opened a rivalry matchup with Chicago. On November 30, 2008, in Minneapolis, the fan celebrated earlier than the Vikings defeated the Bears 34-14 in a divisional residence recreation that afternoon. Necessary Credit score: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Each NFL staff has gamers who don’t fairly match the worth of their contracts, and based mostly on present depth chart development, the 2026 Minnesota Vikings are usually not excluded.
The membership begins the common season in about 9 weeks, and until the next gamers decrease their cap hits, they moderately slot in an “overpaid” bucket. The gamers are listed ascendingly (No. 1 = most overpaid Viking).
Vikings’ Cap Sheet Reveals a Few Costly Questions
Minnesota Vikings tight finish Josh Oliver celebrates ultimately zone at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after scoring close to the objective line throughout an NFL Worldwide Sequence matchup with Cleveland. On Oct. 5, 2025, Oliver gave Minnesota early momentum in London whereas reinforcing his worth as a bodily red-zone possibility in Kevin O’Connell’s offense. Necessary Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Photographs.
4. Josh Oliver | TE2
2026 Cap Hit: $9.9 Million
Oliver is a blocking tight finish, which is unbelievable. It’s additionally a bit ironic as a result of popping out of faculty (San Jose State) in 2019, that was speculated to be his drawback. The scouting report mentioned the man might batch, however his run blocking stank.
Nicely, Oliver flipped the script, in all probability after the Baltimore Ravens‘ teaching employees obtained a maintain of him.
The difficulty with a blocking tight finish? They’re not value $10 million. Groups can discover ample variations for half the worth and even much less. The Vikings shouldn’t minimize Oliver or devalue him on the depth chart, however the truth stays that $9.9 million is pricey.
Fortunately, Oliver has some redzone utility. He’s reliable when quarterbacks goal him.
3. Aaron Jones | RB
2026 Cap Hit: $10.2 Million
You may write this in ink: 2026 shall be Jones’s ultimate season in Minnesota. He’ll flip 32 in December, and his profession, for higher or worse, is winding down. When the offseason started, most Vikings followers and analysts theorized Jones as a roster-cut candidate, and so they didn’t do this on a whim. He’s efficient in spots, particularly early within the common season, but accidents habitually take their toll on Jones. That’s his jam.
The Vikings proposed a paycut for Jones in March. He accepted. He’s again within the saddle as RB1 or RB2 due to his pass-blocking and locker room management. It’s simply fairly apparent that his prime is nicely prior to now.
Minnesota additionally refused to signal a free-agent operating again like Travis Etienne or draft a mid-round rookie like Mike Washington. It’s Jones once more — and doubtless for the final time.
He averaged 4.2 yards per carry, performed 12 video games, and banked 548 dashing yards final yr. His profession has been unbelievable, and the man is an superior dude. Nonetheless, he’s not value $10.2 million until he forges a very unexpected and wholesome late-career resurgence.
2. T.J. Hockenson | TE
2026 Cap Hit: $15.6 Million
Of all males on this overpaid listing, Hockenson may need the clearest path to a resurrection. He blew out his knee within the 2023 season, due to a low hit by Detroit Lions security Kerby Joseph, and, because of the shift within the Vikings’ offense — utilizing Hockenson because the sixth offensive lineman — he’s by no means regained his type.
Minnesota Vikings tight finish T.J. Hockenson units earlier than the snap whereas working from the formation at Lumen Subject as Seattle’s protection readies for a second-half play in a late-season NFC matchup. On Nov. 30, 2025, Hockenson remained a central piece of Minnesota’s passing recreation and a trusted goal in Kevin O’Connell’s offense. Necessary Credit score: Steven Bisig-Imagn Photographs.
Hockenson signed a monster extension through the summer season of 2023. 4 months later, the damage occurred, rendering the contract not definitely worth the squeeze. If a staff pays a decent finish over $15 million, it should goal him closely within the passing recreation. The Vikings don’t do this anymore. Hockenson’s success within the Twin Cities looks like a Kirk Cousins particular in hindsight.
Right here’s the silver lining, although: new Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray has cooked with tight ends. Ask Trey McBride, who most think about the very best or second-best tight finish within the sport. If Murray might unlock McBride, he ought to have the ability to get Hockenson again in control.
If not, 2026 will doubtless be Hockenson’s ultimate season in Minnesota. There’s a cause so many followers thought the franchise would possibly draft Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq in April.
1. Will Fries | RG
2026 Cap Hit: $17.2 Million
Was Fries horrible in 2025? Completely not. Was Fries value $17.2 million in 2025? Completely not.
The man posted a Professional Soccer Focus grade simply over 60.0, which might’ve been exceptional through the Mike Zimmer period of Vikings soccer when guards like Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia graced your tv units. However that was then, and that is now.
Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman Will Fries walks off the sector at Highmark Stadium after a preseason highway matchup in opposition to Buffalo, persevering with his push for a bigger function up entrance. On Aug. 13, 2022, Fries exited the sector following the Colts’ exhibition recreation whereas constructing early NFL expertise alongside the inside line. Necessary Credit score: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Former Vikings boss Kwesi Adofo-Mensah paid Fries handsomely final season, and based mostly on his 2025 output, he needs to be incomes about $6 million yearly — not $17 million.
Maybe Fries will settle within the Vikings offense with one other yr of expertise. If he doesn’t, you might be about seven months from Googling or placing Fries’ lifeless cap hit into ChatGPT. At all times keep in mind: Adofo-Mensah handed Fries the very fact contract based mostly on 5 good video games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024. He has no verifiable historical past of consistency.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
