4 Free Agents the Vikings Should Lock Up

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Harrison Smith’s possible retirement will engulf the Minnesota Vikings’ discourse this month, and he should obviously return if he wishes to play one more season. But Minnesota also has about 20 free agents to consider for extension.

Minnesota can’t keep everyone, but these four players fit the team’s direction in 2026 and beyond.

Like all offseasons, the 2026 version will bring change; there’s just no doubt about it. On the whole, though, the Vikings should prioritize re-signing these four players.

Four Vikings Free Agents Worth Re-Signing

Free agency is nine weeks away, so let’s peek at who Minnesota should bring back.

C.J. Ham kneels at midfield after a Vikings win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Vikings free agents to re-sign.

1. C.J. Ham | FB

Re-signing Ham is a no-brainer — if he chooses to skip retirement and ride one more year.

If the aforementioned Smith retires, Ham will become the longest-tenured Viking, a team captain, and the ultimate culture guy. Minnesota doesn’t use him much on offense, as fullbacks are a dying breed, but Ham has seen more action on offense this year, per percentage of plays, than any season under O’Connell.

Ham has missed six games due to injury, his first missed games since the 2020 season. The NFL seems to be trending back ever so slightly toward run-happy playcalling, meaning Ham will be more vital next year if he returns.

Thankfully, this one isn’t very suspenseful. If Ham wants to keep playing, Minnesota will re-sign him.

Ham also acknowledged that Sunday could be his final game. He told the Star Tribune this week, “To sit back and think that this is potentially the last time I’m in purple. It’s a crazy thought. It’s been a heck of a journey. It will be special. Just because of the unknown.”

“I can’t even put it into words what it’ll mean, but it’ll be a special day having my family there, my friends there, all the people that supported me. Remembering all the people who were a part of that journey. No matter what, this is the last time this Vikings team will be together. That in and of itself makes this moment special.”

2. Jalen Nailor | WR

Nailor flashes, then vanishes. The connection with J.J. McCarthy has been real — eye-opening, even — but only in short bursts. Three games of chemistry. Two games of silence. After detonating in Week 15, he hasn’t caught a pass since. That variance has defined his season and his career. Sometimes Nailor pops off; sometimes he’s missing altogether.

Then came the subtle tell this week. When general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addressed Nailor’s future with Paul Allen last week, the language shifted to “economic realities” and budget constraints. That sounded like front-office code, which usually shows up when a player’s time with the team is winding down.

Could Nailor return on a modest deal and ride shotgun with McCarthy? Of course. That door isn’t closed. Not by a longshot. But the more pressing question is incentive. If the market offers him a chance to cash in — or at least reset his value with a clearer role — staying put starts to feel like the conservative play. Nailor should maximize his pocketbook.

Still, wouldn’t it be weird for the Vikings to get rid of the one guy who had built a connection with McCarthy?

3. Jalen Redmond | DT

Redmond has slipped into rare air without national fanfare. Around the league, he’s still anonymous. But not in the Twin Cities.

Jalen Redmond grabs a fumble during a preseason game at Lincoln Financial Field.

The assignment for 2025 was simple: prove 2024 wasn’t a fluke. Redmond did more than just prove he belongs as a starter. He followed up his breakout with a season that firmly placed him among the NFL’s top interior defenders. Consistency showed up snap after snap, not just in splash plays. The numbers backed him up. Pro Bowl chatter among Vikings fans wasn’t about charity. Redmond earned it.

There’s a legitimate argument that he’s been the Vikings’ most impactful defensive player. Jonathan Greenard may disagree, but you get it.

And the market will notice. Redmond is staring at a massive financial leap — from league-minimum territory to a deal that starts around $12 million per year and could climb well beyond that. His rise to stardom is here.

4. Eric Wilson | ILB

Among off-ball linebackers, Wilson sits first in sacks, first in quarterback pressures, second in forced fumbles, 13th in defensive stops, and 32nd in tackles. That résumé was not part of the March sales pitch when Adofo-Mensah signed him. He wasn’t even penciled in as a starter. Fans thought they were getting a nostalgia story in a backup’s role, as the Vikings drafted Wilson nine years ago.

This dude has turned himself into a full-on production engine.

Quinshon Judkins runs the ball against Eric Wilson at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

At 31, you can argue some of this is Brian Flores unlocking the right buttons. He probably is. Either way, the output is real, weekly, and extraordinary. If Flores is back in 2026, keeping Wilson should sit near the top of the checklist.

He also took Ivan Pace Jr.’s job. And Pace was a fan favorite heading into the season. That doesn’t happen by accident. Wilson has played so well that he may be back in 2026, with Pace Jr. hitting the open market.

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