The Vikings’ 5-0 start has changed the mood around the team fast, and it also shines a brighter light on what comes next. Minnesota has a handful of important players set up for free agency after the 2026 NFL season, and if the Vikings want to keep this group together, extensions are going to matter.
The catch is the cap picture. Spotrac has Minnesota with roughly $37.5 million in salary cap space, but that money has to stretch across re-signings and any outside help the team might need. So while the offseason is still a long way off, it’s already worth lining up the players who have clearly earned a longer look in purple.
Andrew Van Ginkel belongs at the top of that list. His pairing with Dallas Turner has given the Vikings real production off the edge, and Van Ginkel has made the one-year, $23 million deal look worth it.
Through five games, he has 14 combined tackles, eight quarterback hits, four sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception. He’s also logged 249 defensive snaps and posted a 74 PFF grade, including a 78.4 pass-rush grade fueled by 18 pressures.
T.J. Hockenson is another obvious candidate.
He’ll be 30 next season, but he’s been one of the steadier offensive pieces on the roster this year. In five games, Hockenson has caught 23 of 27 targets for 202 yards and a touchdown, while earning a 77.5 PFF grade that ranks fifth among all qualifying tight ends.
He’s in the 2026 season on a one-year, $10.25 million deal, and with no dropped passes and 80 yards after the catch already, he looks like the type of player Minnesota will want to keep around on a similar arrangement.
Blake Cashman has also done enough to stay in the conversation. Working alongside Eric Wilson, he’s helped give Minnesota a reliable interior linebacker duo.
Cashman is in the final year of his three-year, $22.5 million contract, and the 30-year-old Minnesota native looks like a priority piece for the offseason. He has played 281 defensive snaps, owns a 73 PFF grade, and leads the team with 42 combined tackles.
On top of that, he has seven quarterback hits, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, a pass defense, and a fumble recovery.
Isaiah Rodgers has been exactly what Minnesota hoped for when it brought him in as a free agent. He has played more than 90% of the defensive snaps and is positioned for a sizable raise from the two-year, $11.045 million contract he signed.
Rodgers has appeared in all five games, collecting 15 combined tackles, four pass defenses, an interception, and a fumble recovery. His 87.9 PFF grade matches the kind of impact he’s made on the field.
Jordan Mason may not have the same snap count as some of the other names on this list, but his role matters too. With Aaron Jones Sr. likely moving on after this season, Minnesota’s RB2 becomes more important.
Mason has missed time while recovering from surgery on an injured thumb, but he did log 15 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against the Packers. The 27-year-old is due a raise from his previous two-year, $10.5 million deal when general manager Nolan Teasley handles his next contract.
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Vikings Have A Big Chance To Fix One Playoff Concern
The Vikings are getting healthier at just the right time, and their trip to face the Colts comes with a chance to address one of the bigger lingering issues in their offense. Jordan Mason, Christian Darrisaw and T.J. Hockenson all returned to practice after dealing with injuries, giving Minnesota a better shot at bringing more stability to a running game that has been uneven for much of the season.
Indianapolis presents a favorable test, too, since its run defense has struggled to hold up against opposing ground attacks. For a team trying to sharpen its balance before the playoffs, this is the kind of matchup that can help restore confidence and take some pressure off the passing game if Minnesota can turn health into production. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Still Need More From Jauan Jennings Than Theyre Getting
Jauan Jennings arrived in Minnesota with a reputation that suggested he could be more than just depth, and the Vikings have had plenty to like about his toughness and run-blocking in the early going. With injuries and uneven offensive production already testing the group, his versatility has made him a useful piece for Kevin OConnells offense even as the passing game has searched for more reliable answers.
Still, the receiving production has not matched the role the Vikings believe he can fill. Jennings has only chipped in a limited amount in four games, which leaves Minnesota weighing what it already gets from him against what it still needs, and OConnells confidence hints the team expects the passing opportunities to grow as the season goes on. For a receiver with a strong track record before arriving in Minnesota, the next stretch could determine whether he becomes a bigger part of the offense or remains more of a supporting piece. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings' 5-0 Start Is About To Face Its Biggest Test Yet
The Vikings have sprinted out to a 5-0 start, and it has been enough to put them in the early conversation as one of the leagues most complete teams. They have already banked wins against a handful of opponents, but the real challenge now arrives in the back half of the schedule, where the margin for error figures to shrink quickly.
Minnesotas final 12 games are loaded with divisional tests and matchups against some of the leagues stronger clubs, a stretch that will say plenty about whether this fast start can turn into something lasting. The road ahead includes both meetings with Detroit, a return trip to Green Bay and a season-ending game against Chicago, so the Vikings are about to find out just how sturdy this start really is. [Read more 🡒]