The Minnesota Vikings have 25 pending free agents heading into the offseason and approximately $55.62 million in “effective cap space,” per OverTheCap.com. But that doesn’t mean they couldn’t move on from veterans signed through the 2025 season.
This week, Bleacher Report shared three candidates from each team who could potentially be cut. The Vikings were headlined by tight end Josh Oliver, who signed a three-year, $21 million deal in 2023.
Brought in to help bolster the Vikings’ run game, Oliver has been solid in his role. PFF graded him with a 73.9 run-block grade in 2023 and 73.0 in 2024. And he played 552 of a possible 1,191 offensive snaps in 2024 (49.4%), according to Pro Football Reference.
Bleacher Report had the following to say about Oliver:
Oliver is a good blocking tight end, but paying him just under $10. . .The Vikings will already be paying T.J. Hockenson $16.9 million next season. Giving that much money to a second tight end is a difficult pill to swallow, and cutting Oliver would free up $5.1 million.
Although Oliver has been good in the run game, the Vikings have struggled to be consistent in that phase. Moving on from Oliver could help add another offensive lineman, impacting the run game more directly than a tight end.
The other two candidates on Bleacher Report’s list were linebacker Brian Asamoah and guard Ed Ingram, two picks from the infamous 2022 draft class.
