A crystal ball into big-name free-agent hunting for the Vikings in 2025

The Vikings will have a lot of money to spend on free agents in March.

Dec 23, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (26) enters the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Inking wide receiver Justin Jefferson and left tackle Christian Darrisaw to long-term contract extensions this summer has set the stage for the Minnesota Vikings to build around quarterback J.J. McCarthy and his rookie contract.

According to Over The Cap, Minnesota's projected 2025 cap space currently sits just shy of $48 million, which ranks seventh most in the NFL. That means the Vikings have set the stage to go big-name free-agent hunting when the 2025 league year begins with free agency next March.

For the purpose of this exercise, let's go ahead and make some assumptions about the 2025 roster by looking at current starters who are likely to be back in purple and gold next season. By doing this, we'll be able to easily extract and identity areas of need when the Vikings hit free agency next year.

On offense, we know that Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill will be back as the starting tackles and that Garrett Bradbury has a solid chance to return as the starting center, though that could change if he doesn't improve this season. The guard spots are clearly up for grabs. McCarthy, Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson are locks to return, but there are holes at WR3 and possibly running back if Aaron Jones doesn't return and Ty Chandler doesn't show an ability to be a bell cow.

On defense, the D-line is a major weakness outside of Jonathan Greenard. The linebackers and edge rushers — Ivan Pace Jr., Blake Cashman, Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel — are solid but could also use another star pass rusher. If Harrison Smith retires, the Vikings still have two good safeties in Josh Metellus and Cam Bynum, and we all know the cornerback room needs upgrades.

All of this points to clear and obvious needs in 2025 at guard, WR3, running back, defensive line and cornerback. Let's go one step further and predict that the Vikings won't spend big on a running back since the RB-by-committee approach is popular in the modern day NFL.

With all of that on the table, let's dive into the best of the best at G, WR, DL and CB in the 2025 free-agent class. One quick rule: projected free agents have to have fewer than 10 seasons under their belt because there's no sense in figuring the Vikings as a team that will sign a player who can't help them for years to come.

Wide receivers

Our rule avoiding players who have played 10+ seasons already eliminates some big names like Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen and Allen Robinson.

Player	Age
CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys	26
Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers	27
Chris Godwin, Bucs	28
Tee Higgins, Bengals	26
Diontae Johnson, Panthers	29
Marquise Brown, Chiefs	28
Zay Jones, Cardinals	30
Rondale Moore, Falcons	25
Terrace Marshall, Panthers	25
K.J. Osborn, Patriots	28

Guard

We're looking at the best guards who are projected free agents and scored high on the Pro Football Focus chart in 2023. Another rule is that these guards had to have graded higher on PFF that Dalton Risner did in 2023.

Player	Age	PFF rank in 2023
Sam Cosmi, Commanders	26	15
Trey Smith, Chiefs	26	28
Tevin Jenkins, Bears	27	25
Quinn Meinerz, Broncos	25	30
Will Hernandez, Cardinals	30	21

Defensive line

PFF rankings for defensive tackles in the chart below are for overall defense while defensive end PFF ranks are based on pass rushing.

Player	Age	PFF rank in 2023
DT Alim McNeil, Lions	24	8
DT Osa Odighizuwa, Cowboys	27	21
DT Milton Williams, Eagles	26	34
DE Josh Sweat, Eagles	27	46
DE Chase Young, Saints	26	36
DE Malcolm Koonce, Raiders	26	24
DE Matthew Judon, Patriots	31	N/A (injured)

Cornerbacks

Byron Murphy Jr. and Shaq Griffin are both Vikings starters who are free agents after the season, so this is a major area of need that just so happens to have some big-time talent potentially available in March.

Player	Age	PFF rank in 2023
Charvarious Ward, 49ers	30	5
Asante Samuel Jr., Chargers	24	30
A.J. Terrell, Falcons	25	26
D.J. Reed, Jets	27	17
Paulson Adebo, Saints	25	16
Deommodore Lenoir, 49ers	24	24
Brandon Stephens, Ravens	27	52