The Vikings’ Most Overpaid Players in 2026

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Every NFL squad has players who don’t rather lucifer the worth of their contracts, and based connected existent extent illustration construction, the 2026 Minnesota Vikings are not excluded.

The nine begins the regular play successful astir 9 weeks, and unless the pursuing players little their headdress hits, they reasonably acceptable successful an “overpaid” bucket. The players are listed ascendingly (No. 1 = astir overpaid Viking).

Vikings’ Cap Sheet Reveals a Few Expensive Questions

Josh Oliver celebrates aft scoring a touchdown against the Browns successful London. Vikings overpaid players

4. Josh Oliver | TE2

2026 Cap Hit: $9.9 Million

Oliver is simply a blocking choky end, which is fantastic. It’s besides a spot ironic due to the fact that coming retired of assemblage (San Jose State) successful 2019, that was expected to beryllium his problem. The scouting study said the feline could batch, but his tally blocking stank.

Well, Oliver flipped the script, astir apt aft the Baltimore Ravens‘ coaching unit got a clasp of him.

The contented with a blocking choky end? They’re not worthy $10 million. Teams tin find capable versions for fractional the terms oregon adjacent less. The Vikings shouldn’t chopped Oliver oregon devalue him connected the extent chart, but the information remains that $9.9 cardinal is expensive.

Thankfully, Oliver has immoderate redzone utility. He’s dependable erstwhile quarterbacks people him.

3. Aaron Jones | RB

2026 Cap Hit: $10.2 Million

You tin constitute this successful ink: 2026 volition beryllium Jones’s last play successful Minnesota. He’ll crook 32 successful December, and his career, for amended oregon worse, is winding down. When the offseason began, astir Vikings fans and analysts theorized Jones arsenic a roster-cut candidate, and they didn’t bash that connected a whim. He’s effectual successful spots, particularly aboriginal successful the regular season, yet injuries habitually instrumentality their toll connected Jones. That’s his jam.

The Vikings proposed a paycut for Jones successful March. He accepted. He’s backmost successful the saddle arsenic RB1 oregon RB2 due to the fact that of his pass-blocking and locker country leadership. It’s conscionable rather evident that his premier is good successful the past.

Minnesota besides refused to motion a free-agent moving backmost similar Travis Etienne oregon draught a mid-round rookie similar Mike Washington. It’s Jones again — and astir apt for the past time.

He averaged 4.2 yards per carry, played 12 games, and banked 548 rushing yards past year. His vocation has been fantastic, and the feline is an awesome dude. Still, he’s not worthy $10.2 cardinal unless helium forges a wholly unforeseen and steadfast late-career resurgence.

2. T.J. Hockenson | TE

2026 Cap Hit: $15.6 Million

Of each men connected this overpaid list, Hockenson mightiness person the clearest way to a resurrection. He blew retired his genu successful the 2023 season, acknowledgment to a debased deed by Detroit Lions information Kerby Joseph, and, owed to the displacement successful the Vikings’ discourtesy — utilizing Hockenson arsenic the sixth violative lineman — he’s ne'er regained his form.

T.J. Hockenson lines up earlier a play against the Seahawks. Vikings overpaid players

Hockenson signed a monster hold during the summertime of 2023. Four months later, the wounded occurred, rendering the declaration not worthy the squeeze. If a squad pays a choky extremity implicit $15 million, it must target him heavy successful the passing game. The Vikings don’t bash that anymore. Hockenson’s occurrence successful the Twin Cities feels similar a Kirk Cousins peculiar successful hindsight.

Here’s the metallic lining, though: caller Vikings backmost Kyler Murray has cooked with choky ends. Ask Trey McBride, who astir see the champion oregon second-best choky extremity successful the sport. If Murray could unlock McBride, helium should beryllium capable to get Hockenson backmost up to speed.

If not, 2026 volition apt beryllium Hockenson’s last play successful Minnesota. There’s a crushed truthful galore fans thought the franchise mightiness draught Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq successful April.

1. Will Fries | RG

2026 Cap Hit: $17.2 Million

Was Fries unspeakable successful 2025? Absolutely not. Was Fries worthy $17.2 cardinal successful 2025? Absolutely not.

The feline posted a Pro Football Focus people conscionable implicit 60.0, which would’ve been singular during the Mike Zimmer epoch of Vikings shot erstwhile guards similar Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia graced your tv sets. But that was then, and this is now.

Will Fries leaves the tract aft a Colts preseason crippled against the Bills. Vikings overpaid players

Former Vikings brag Kwesi Adofo-Mensah paid Fries handsomely past season, and based connected his 2025 output, helium should beryllium earning astir $6 cardinal annually — not $17 million.

Perhaps Fries volition settee successful the Vikings discourtesy with different twelvemonth of experience. If helium does not, you are astir 7 months from Googling oregon putting Fries’ dead headdress hit into ChatGPT. Always remember: Adofo-Mensah handed Fries the information declaration based connected five good games for the Indianapolis Colts successful 2024. He has nary verifiable past of consistency.

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