The Minnesota Vikings are walking a tightrope in 2026. They need to win now but can’t afford to mortgage the future again. That tension makes them one of the more interesting teams to watch as the trade deadline approaches.
Kevin O’Connell’s seat is warm, not hot. But if the Vikings stumble out of the gate and miss the playoffs for a third straight year, the front office will face serious questions. Big changes could follow. The smart play is to get ahead of it.
Here are three Vikings who could be on the move this season.
J.J. McCarthy might not be the long-term answer
McCarthy was supposed to be the future. Two years in, the future hasn’t arrived. Minnesota brought in Kyler Murray this offseason to compete for the starting job, and early buzz out of camp suggests Murray has the edge. If Murray wins the job, McCarthy becomes an expensive backup on a rookie contract that still has a fifth-year option attached.
That creates an opportunity. If a contender loses its quarterback to injury, McCarthy could be a cheap rental with theoretical upside. The Vikings would be selling low, but holding a backup quarterback with trade value is a luxury a team in their position can’t afford. If they’re not going to play him, move him.
T.J. Hockenson’s contract says everything
Back in March, the Vikings restructured Hockenson’s deal. They saved $5 million in cap space this year and voided the final year of his contract, making him a free agent in 2027. That’s not a move you make if you’re planning to keep the guy.
Hockenson is still a productive tight end. He catches everything thrown his way and moves the chains. He’s not a game-breaker like Brock Bowers, but he’s reliable and scheme-versatile. At 29, he’s not old for the position, but he’s not young either. A team looking for a reliable safety valve in the passing game could part with a fourth-round pick without blinking. The Vikings might get a compensatory pick if he leaves in free agency, but a guaranteed fourth this year is better than a conditional third next year.
Brian O’Neill is a luxury the Vikings might not need
O’Neill carries the team’s highest cap hit in 2026 at $23.12 million. He’s 31 years old and playing on the final year of his deal. He’s still a quality right tackle, but the Vikings have to ask themselves: is a 31-year-old tackle the best use of that money?
The trouble is his contract. Any team trading for him would need roughly $20 million in cap space, which limits the list of suitors. But a contending team with an injury at tackle might talk themselves into it. The Vikings would have to stomach trading a reliable veteran, but if they’re sliding toward a rebuild, O’Neill becomes a depreciating asset. Better to get something now than nothing later.
None of these moves are guaranteed. But the Vikings are in a spot where they need to be honest about what they are. If October looks shaky, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should be on the phone.
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