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The Minnesota Vikings O-Line is Getting Expensive
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- The Minnesota Vikings O-Line is Getting Expensive
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While they've been intentional with the type of free agents signed, the Minnesota Vikings and their head decision makers — whoever they are — were incredibly active at the start of 2025 NFL free agency , filling major needs in the secondary, backfield and both trenches.
It wasn't cheap, either. As mentioned, the Vikings carefully targeted as many players as possible, who won't affect their 2026 comp pick formula. But that didn't mean they weren't willing to spend money. As expected, the front office spent a large chunk of their bloated 2025 salary cap space within the first week of free agency's opening bell.
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Minnesota Vikings invested HEAVILY into current offensive line
Credit: Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
When their 2024 season came to an abrupt end in the first round of the NFC Playoffs, both head coach Kevin O'Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made it their public mission to improve this offseason, on the interior of both the offensive and defensive lines.
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There are legitimate questions surrounding the age and injury history of the veterans they have added in the trenches, but the vision is clear. On defense, the Vikings signed proven interior talents, Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen , who should immediately fix that weakness, if healthy.
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And according to popular NFL analyst Warren Sharp , the signings of (C) Ryan Kelly and (RG) Will Fries on the o-line have pushed the Vikings offensive line to the 5th most expensive in the entire league — at $64.4 million on the books for 2025.
most expensive offensive lines in 2025:
1. $95.3M – Panthers
2. $81.5M – Chiefs
3. $67.7M – Giants
4. $66.1M – Bears
5. $64.4M – Vikings
6. $63.9M – Lions
7. $62.3M – Broncos
8. $61.4M – Commanders
9. $60.0M – Chargers
10. $58.5M – Titans
11. $58.5M – Falcons
12. $55.8M – Eagles…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 13, 2025
Remember, that $64.4 million number will change between now and the start of the 2025 NFL season. The Minnesota Vikings could sign another veteran, at some point (maybe a LG?). It's very possible they spend some of their draft capital later this month on the o-line, too.
Kwesi, O'Connell prove to be men of their word
In either case, the amount invested will depend on the talent acquired. We may also see contract restructures that affect the o-line cost next season. Brian O'Neill, for example, has a restructure clause in his deal — which is due to pay him $26 million in 2025 — that the Vikings can trigger to gain immediate cap space, in exchange for more cash up front.
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But no matter what changes we see to the total dollars spent between now and September, there's no doubt the Minnesota Vikings paid off their promise to invest in the interior offensive line this offseason. The $64.4 million includes $6 million still owed to Garrett Bradbury , according to Spotrac.com .
| O-Lineman |
Pos |
2025 Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Brian O'Neill |
RT |
$26M |
| LT |
$9.7M |
|
| *Garrett Bradbury |
C |
$6M |
| RG |
$5.6M |
|
| C |
$5.6M |
|
| LG |
$3.9M |
|
| LT |
$2M |
|
| RT |
$1M |
|
| Walter Rouse |
T |
$1M |
| C |
$987K |
|
| 3 Others ($840K) |
G, LT, T |
$2.5M |
| Total |
64.4M |
As long as the newcomers can stay healthy — a bet that is worth questioning — it appears the longtime interior OL issues we have all complained about for the last decade may finally be behind us. Of course, this is Minnesota, and we don't usually get nice things here. So until we see it, most Vikings fans will be hard-pressed to fully believe.
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