Entering the offseason, numerous significant contributors were set to enter free agency. The Vikings ultimately re-signed Pro Bowler Byron Murphy Jr. in free agency and running back Aaron Jones even before the window opened. Harrison Smith once again returned for a potentially final season.
Vikings Lost 8 Starters
A bunch of other starters or key rotational players didn’t get a new deal, though.
1. Sam Darnold
Hired as a one-year bridge passer between the past (Kirk Cousins) and the future (rookie QB tbd at that time), Sam Darnold revived his career under the tutelage of QB whisperer Kevin O’Connell. He delivered 35 passing touchdowns and over 4,300 yards through the air, gifting Vikings fans 14 wins and countless memorable moments throughout the year.
The Vikings decided to go with J.J. McCarthy, and Darnold signed with the Seahawks. In 2025, the two franchises are set to meet, and Seattle’s new QB has to prove he can do it without KOC in his corner.
2. Garrett Bradbury
A 2019 first-rounder, center Garrett Bradbury never lived up to that draft slot. He has always been solid in the running game, but his pass protection and lack of strength have been frustrating to watch.
Bradbury was released a few days after Ryan Kelly was signed and joined the New England Patriots to snap the ball to sophomore Drake Maye. The center was the man in the middle of Minnesota’s line for six seasons.
3. Ed Ingram/Dalton Risner
Ed Ingram and Dalton Risner shared one spot in the 2024 campaign. Ingram started his third year at right guard, but Risner replaced him once he returned from a back injury suffered in the summer.
Risner has yet to find a new team. A starting-caliber guard who can’t find an employer for the third straight offseason is quite strange. Ingram, meanwhile, was traded to Houston for a draft pick that later turned into running back Jordan Mason. He will go down in Vikings history books as a bust.
4. Jerry Tillery
Former first-rounder Jerry Tillery continued his journeyman career in the Twin Cities, and he has some solid moments. At the end of the day, the Vikings signed him to a cheap one-year deal and played 41% of defensive snaps, racking up 28 tackles but no sacks. Later in the season, for a couple of games, breakout defender Jalen Redmond started in his place. Tillery signed with the Chiefs.
5. Jonathan Bullard
Another veteran on the underwhelming defensive line, Jonathan Bullard, is a fantastic run defender, but he surely isn’t someone who’s producing splashy plays. The Vikings opted to get a couple of those playmakers when they acquired Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in free agency.
Bullard is still looking for a new team after logging 38 starts in Minnesota in the last three seasons.
6. Cam Bynum
Darnold aside, Cam Bynum is certainly the most prolific name on the last. The converted college corner became a mainstay as a safety in Brian Flores’ secondary and played two borderline Pro Bowl campaigns.
The former fourth-rounder signed a $60 million deal in free agency with the Colts, while the Vikings hope his backup, Theo Jackson, can fill the void. Bynum will be missed on the field, but also as a culture setter in the locker room.
7. Stephon Gilmore
Stephon Gilmore was signed in training camp when the Vikings needed another starter because Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL. He had a decent season, but at the age of 34, he understandably isn’t the lockdown corner he once was.
The former Defensive Player of the Year remains unsigned after starting 15 games in purple. His best moment was the game-sealing interception against Aaron Rodgers in London.
8. Shaq Griffin
Veteran Shaq Griffin also played on a cheap one-year deal, and he functioned as Minnesota’s third cornerback, entering the field in the three games Gilmore was hurt or when Flores called a play that required three CBs.
Griffin started three of the 17 games he appeared in, but logged 50% of the defensive snaps. He signed with his old team, the Seahawks, in June.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
