Up to this point, the Minnesota Vikings have dished out more money to their starting punter than their starting quarterback in free agency. The Vikings are famously tight on cash this year, and the contracts haven’t exactly been flowing, but that may be for a different reason than a simple lack of funds.
Despite their relative inactivity in free agency, the Vikings have shown they are willing to get involved if the price is right. Early on in the legal tampering window, Minnesota was reportedly in on running back Travis Etienne before he ultimately ended up in New Orleans on a massive four-year, $52 million deal.
“The Saints are signing former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, per sources,” Dianna Russini posted. “The Jacksonville Jaguars wanted to retain the Louisiana native. The Broncos and Vikings were also interested.”
The Vikings must have been mostly aware of Etienne’s going rate. So, to think that they were at least remotely considering dropping upwards of $40 to $50 million on a running back is a sure sign that they’ll pony up for the right player.
In Etienne’s case, he wasn’t the guy for the Vikings, and Minnesota instead brought back Aaron Jonesat a discount. Most of the top-tier free-agent options are now signed. Still, there are plenty of good second-tier players available, and the Vikings might crack open their wallet if the right situation arises.
So, what are some of the best options still available in Minnesota?
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Westbrook-Ikhine fits the bigger body mold that the Vikings are reportedly interested in at WR3. He’s 6’2”, 215 lbs., and offers big play ability, something that all good teams covet. Westbrook-Ikhine’s year of rest and relaxation in Miami didn’t produce big numbers — he only had 11 catches. However, his previous season with the Tennessee Titans was much more productive, with nine touchdowns on 15.5 yards per reception.
It’s unlikely Tai Felton improves enough this offseason to become the third option. While Minnesota could, and should, target a receiver early in the draft, Westbrook-Ikine could bring some upside after losing Jalen Nailor in free agency. There’s no guarantee the Vikings will ink Jordan Addison to a long-term extension next season, so this unit could see some major shake-ups in 2027.
Taylor Rapp
While most indications are that Minnesota will snag a safety with its first pick in the draft, the Vikings could still add a veteran if and when Harrison Smith retires. Should The Hitman hang them up, the Vikings will need to fill the safety spot, and also the quarterback of the defense.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores asks a lot of his safeties, from making on-the-fly adjustments to being a versatile chess piece to potentially getting his kids in the after-school pickup line. To play safety for the Vikings, you need to be a smart, dynamic, and almost positionless player.
Taylor Rapp is an NFL veteran with over 70 games of starting experience under his belt and a career 488 tackles, two sacks, 31 pass breakups, and 12 interceptions. He’s an instinctive player who could easily pick up a Flores scheme. While he’s never reached his full potential as a former second-round pick, he would possibly provide more confidence than a rookie thrust into the starting role.
D.J. Reader
The Vikings bailed on the Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen experiment just one year after it started. While the duo found some success as pass rushers, their run defense just didn’t hold up, and Minnesota needs a Harrison Phillips-type player again.
Although he’s 32, D.J. Reader fits the bill and could be had for a reasonable one-year deal. Pro Football Focus ranked him 30th out of 134 interior defenders in 2025, and he’s shown he can still provide value on early downs. With the emergence of Jalen Redmond and a trio of elite edge rushers, getting after the quarterback shouldn’t be too much of a problem for the Vikings. Reader would provide that 1-tech anchor this defense needs in the run game, and it appears he’d be open to a team like Minnesota.
“Really just somewhere competitive with a good organization,” said Reader on Up and Adams regarding what he is looking for in his next opportunity. “I can fit in anywhere. I feel like I can play in any system. So, I’m not really stressed on that end. I just want to play some good ball on the back-end of my years and really get to a place that’s competitive and a good organization with some people who care about each other.”
With the Jonathan Greenard situation still hanging over the Vikings’ heads, they may be patient with some of these potential free agent signings. Still, it’s clear Minnesota isn’t completely scared off from last season’s debacle, and the money might start flowing out soon.