Vikings' Push Towards Cap Space Begins With Expected Cuts of Two Vets

Because the Vikings are currently an estimated $45 million over the salary cap, difficult decisions are going to have to be made regarding expensive veteran players. That process is now underway.

The Vikings have informed running back Aaron Jones and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave that they will be released at the start of the new league year this month (March 11) if they aren't traded, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. And in situations like these, other teams have little incentive to part with any sort of draft compensation when they can simply wait for the player to become a free agent.

Cutting Jones will save the Vikings $7.75 million in cap space and come with a decent chunk of dead money ($6.8 million), according to Over the Cap. Cutting Hargrave will create nearly $11 million in cap savings but will come with even more dead money (roughly $10.5 million).

Sources: Vikings have informed running back Aaron Jones and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave that, barring a trade, they will be released at the start of the league year this month.

Jones’ release will save the Vikings $7.75 million against the cap, Hargrave’s $10.9 million. pic.twitter.com/s5DdCTOWTX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 1, 2026

Between the two players, that's nearly $19 million in cap savings and over $17 million in dead money. That wipes out a chunk of the work the Vikings need to do to not only get cap compliant but also create the space for additions. Although he wasn't included in this report from Schefter, center Ryan Kelly seems like another obvious cut candidate, and it'll be interesting to see what happens with players like Jonathan Allen and T.J. Hockenson.

In addition to cutting players, the Vikings can easily create cap space via extensions, contract renegotiations, and simple restructures that convert base salary into signing bonus money.

Jones, 31, has been everything the Vikings could've hoped for over the past two seasons. The former longtime Packer handled a career-high 306 touches in 2024, piling up 1,546 yards from scrimmage (just 12 below his career best) and 7 touchdowns. That led the Vikings to sign him to a new two-year deal in free agency. Last season, he missed five games due to injury and also split time with Jordan Mason when healthy, but Jones still managed 747 yards and 3 TDs. He also proved to be a big-time leader in the locker room.

Aaron Jones | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Hargrave, 33, did not quite live up to expectations in his one season with the Vikings. He played only a little over 500 defensive snaps, well below Allen and Jalen Redmond, despite being healthy for 16 games. Hargrave finished with 3.5 sacks, two of which came in Week 1 in Chicago.

Both running back and defensive tackle will be notable needs for the Vikings in free agency or — perhaps more likely — April's NFL draft, where they can get younger and cheaper talent at those positions.