Three key Vikings players were among the top 25 free agents in 2025

Three Vikings players are among the top 25 outstanding unrestricted free agents for the 2025 offseason in a new list from ESPN’s Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler. Let’s go through each one, see what Fowler had to say, and then provide our own analysis on that player’s future.

Fowler’s position: Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell views injured rookie JJ McCarthy (knee) as the franchise’s quarterback of the future, seemingly paving the way for Darnold to sign elsewhere. But Darnold and Minnesota are 7-2 combined, so a bridge deal while the team continues to develop McCarthy behind the scenes shouldn’t be completely off the table. Darnold’s decision-making on the field will determine a lot about his future.

Our thoughts: Darnold is the only quarterback in this top 25, which suits him well. How much he has in free agency will be determined by how he plays in the final eight regular season games of this season, plus a likely playoff opportunity. The guy who played so well in September would definitely get a lot of starting money from a team with a hole at QB. But he’s thrown five interceptions over the last two games, and if that continues, he might be able to put himself back into the backup/QB league mix. There is a lot of money at stake for Darnold in this long run.

One thing I can say with confidence is that it would be very surprising if he was back in Minnesota for another year. This will be JJ McCarthy’s team in 2025.

Fowler’s position: Minnesota has made efforts to expand Bynum, who is a natural successor to Harrison Smith, into the Vikings’ secondary leader. Smith turns 36 in February. Five safeties make at least $16 million per year, and Bynum, whose value is rising after three interceptions and eight passes defensed this season, will look to become the sixth. The Vikings believe they are in a good place with him in terms of a long-term working relationship.

Our thoughts: Bynum is the type of player the Vikings would like to keep around. The former fourth-round pick has been a great fit as the top safety in Brian Flores’ defense and he is well-liked in the locker room. But an extension did not materialize and Bynum’s value is increasing this season thanks to his strong play. The Vikings will have plenty of money to spend in free agency next year, so they’ll just have to decide how much to offer Bynum for a second contract.

Fowler’s opinion: Robinson’s stay in Minnesota seems like an audition for the rest of the league. Christian Darrisaw – healthy again after tearing an ACL this season – will be the Vikings’ starting left tackle in 2025. The Vikings traded a mid-round pick to Jacksonville for Robinson because they believe he can help keep the offense going while Darrisaw is out. And if Robinson does that in the next two months, it will increase his free agency value.

Our thoughts: Robinson feels like a pure rental for the Vikings. Assuming he plays at the level of his career, he should be able to start working with some team money in March. And the Vikings already have Christian Darrisaw, who is on the mend and has a chance to be ready for Week 1 next season. Even if he isn’t, the Vikings will likely look for an internal backup or a cheaper bridge option instead of re-signing Robinson. The only reason it would make sense to bring him back would be if he might want to play guard, but that seems unlikely for someone who has only been an LT in his eight-year career.

Other notable Vikings free agents: Aaron Jones, Byron Murphy Jr., Stephon Gilmore, Pat Jones II, Shaq Griffin, Jerry Tillery, Jonathan Bullard, Dalton Risner (and many others)