Vikings’ New Free Agent Deal Just Got Sweeter

The Minnesota Vikings turned a relatively slow Monday morning into an impactful evening, into a Tuesday on crack. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah finalizing deals with three top 15 free agents this morning, all on the offensive and defensive lines.

It started as the sun was coming up, with the signing of Commanders defensive tackle, Jonathan Allen, who spent Monday in Eagan on a visit. That announcement was quickly followed by the other two top 15 additions — Colts guard Will Fries on the OL and 49ers DT Javon Hargraves to assist Allen on the interior DL.

Last season it was clear that Brian Flores’ defense lacked push on the interior defensive line, a problem the Vikings talked about addressing this offseason. With the additions of Allen and Hargrave, they’ve paid off that promise tenfold.

Jonathan Allen deal with Minnesota Vikings gets sweeter

But wait, it gets even better, at least for one of the contracts agreed upon Tuesday. The initial numbers on Jonathan Allen’s deal are different than the 3 years, $60 million that was originally reported. Per Ben Goessling (Star Tribune), Allen’s contract will actually come in at 3 years, $51 million, with only $23.5 million fully guaranteed.

The confusion: Allen has incentives built into this new deal that can push its value up to $60 million, over 3 years. That’s a pretty big rounding error that should put up to $5 million in cap space back in the Minnesota Vikings’ pockets for the rest of this offseason. they continue to navigate the rest of this offseason.

Allen’s base salary in 2025 is a paltry $1.255 million, with a cap hit of $6.421 million in 2025. That number jumps up to $21.6 million in 2026. Very little money is guaranteed in 2027, when the 30-year-old DT carries just a $4.6 million dead cap number.

Yes that means the deal is more backloaded, but it gives the MN Vikings continued spending power this offseason. While Adofo-Mensah went to work in a big way during the second day of legal tampering, there are still plenty of holes to fill on the roster.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Free Agency Signings – 2025

Realistically the contract is a two-year deal for Allen, and gives the Vikings some flexibility to make a decision prior to 2027. As they build the roster around J.J. McCarthy, making sure each phase of the game is addressed remains a must.

The open holes are still plenty capable of being addressed this offseason. Minnesota still has around $50 million in cap space. It remains unlikely they utilize all of that in free agency. They’ll need to sign draft picks and potentially push some of that spending power to 2026.

By working the contracts for Allen and Byron Murphy Jr. as they have, the Vikings not only added talent but keep all of their options open. It’s a pretty great best of both worlds situation.

Where do these extra dollars get spent?

As mentioned, there are multiple holes for the Vikings to still fill. They absolutely need to sign a quarterback after Daniel Jones opted to sign with the Indianapolis Colts. What level of player that is remains to be seen, but J.J. McCarthy isn’t going to be the only player rostered.

There is probably an opportunity for another cornerback or safety addition as well. Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers were handed free agent deals, but Mekhi Blackmon and Dwight McGlothern are the only other real options at corner.

Related: Daniel Jones Bails on Vikings QB Competition vs JJ McCarthy

Theo Jackson signed an extension before Cam Bynum went to the Colts, but Harrison Smith hasn’t indicated his plan yet. Even if he returns, someone to work alongside those two and Josh Metellus makes some sense.

Kevin O’Connell may also want another wide receiver for his offense. Jalen Nailor left something to be desired at times, and Jordan Addison is likely to face some sort of discipline. Cooper Kupp is expected to be released by the Los Angeles Rams and those parallels are plentiful.

How the Vikings handle the rest of their cap space remains to be seen. The fact that the still have ample amounts of it is a great thing.