The Minnesota Vikings signed Javon Hargrave to a two-year, $30 million contract last offseason after he was limited to just three games with the San Francisco 49ers in 2024, hoping to bolster the interior defensive line and boost their sack totals. He had a decent 2025 campaign, though he recorded the fewest sacks since 2017, excluding the injury-shortened 2024 season, and posted the fourth-lowest snap share of his career. Hargrave totaled 52 tackles, four TFLs, six quarterback hits, 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble across 16 games, including 15 starts, accounting for 53% of defensive snaps.
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Minnesota Vikings’ DL is on the chopping block
Minnesota Vikings
Nov 27, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf before the game against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Considering his age (he turned 33 in February), him being a shell of himself, his contract, and the Vikings being $43 million over the cap, Javon Hargrave is strongly viewed as a cap casualty. The two-time Pro Bowler is scheduled to earn a $14.2 million base salary, $4 million guaranteed, a per-game bonus totaling $750,000, a $50,000 workout bonus, and a $21.45 million cap charge in 2026, per Over The Cap. With a pre-June 1st release, the Vikings clear $10.95 million in cap space while incurring $10.5 million in dead cap.
The Vikings are actively fielding trade calls
According to Jordan Schultz, the Vikings have discussed trading Javon Hargrave with other teams during the NFL Scouting Combine, seeking draft compensation rather than cutting him outright, and Minnesota taking on only the $6,497,500 prorated signing bonus as the dead cap. A trading team would inherit his base salary, per-game roster bonus, workout bonus, and the remaining guaranteed amount, essentially a one-year, $15 million contract with $4 million guaranteed. If a deal cannot be reached, Hargrave is expected to be released.
Sources: The #Vikings have had trade talks with teams regarding 2x Pro Bowl DT Javon Hargrave.
Hargrave started 15 games last year and had 3.5 sacks in his first season with Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/72siZt5Ul1
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 24, 2026