AFC Team to Target Vikings Defensive Player in Trade?

The Minnesota Vikings have an abundance of talent. And while it's one of the more frustrating aspects of a team that went on to go 9-8 in the 2025 season, it could have advantages this offseason.

One way the Vikings can benefit from having well known players is that getting their contracts off the roster could create cap space. Minnesota made a handful of bad signings in recent seasons and paid for it dearly their last time on the field. And as much as we want to blame starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy for his woes, he wasn't the only player who did not live up to his contract in 2025.

Perhaps the big advantage for Minnesota, though, is trade leverage. The team will have an opportunity to get value back for players who were productive. One productive player who could command trade interest is defensive lineman Javon Hargrave. 

Dustin Baker of Vikings Territory discussed why Hargrave could see trade interest this offseason. He wrote the following on his on the field production.

"Hargrave appeared in 16 games this season and 537 defensive snaps — 53% of the time. He banked 52 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hits, 4 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. His 31 pressures ranked 34th among all defensive tackles.

His Pro Football Focus scoring reflected a pass-rushing asset, with a 70.0 grade, but a lower run-stopping mark of 57.3. All told, PFF called him the 35th-best interior defender, which is basically average or somewhat decent.

If you wanted the Vikings to sign a passable DT free agent in 2025, they understood the assignment. But Hargrave did not mimic the two Pro Bowl seasons from earlier in his career."

The Vikings want to field the best possible team when they take the field out of the offseason. Certainly, Hargrave could contribute to that iteration of the team. Yet with Minnesota's bid to improve at quarterback, they may need to free up more money to make a difference making move. And while Hargrave was certainly productive, he isn't productive enough to value over a game changer at quarterback.

At this point, a game changer at quarterback is simply an average NFL starter which signals just how dire the team is at the position. Certainly, if the Vikings can keep Hargrave and still add a top starter, presumably that's the path they will take.

There's plenty to navigage over the coming weeks as the Vikings build their team for 2026. They'll look to start by making sure they can field the most complete team when they step on the field for the season opener.