Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Vikings informed RB Aaron Jones and DT Javon Hargrave that they will be released, barring a trade surfacing for either player.
In total, the Vikings would clear over $18 million of cap room with these two moves. Jones’ release will specifically save the Vikings $7.75 million against the cap and another $10.9 million from Hargrave.
Minnesota was scheduled to be over the cap by around $40 million, so cuts were obviously coming this offseason.
Jones, 31, is a former fifth-round pick of the Packers out of UTEP back in 2017. The Packers re-signed Jones in 2021 after he played out his rookie deal to a four-year, $48 million deal with $13 million guaranteed.
The Packers restructured Jones’ deal to clear $11.8 million in cap space. He was set to make a base salary of $11 million in 2024 when the Packers released him. He then wound up signing a one-year, $7 million deal with the Vikings in March of 2024.
Minnesota then re-signed him to a two-year, $20 million extension the following offseason.
In 2025, Jones appeared in 12 games for the Vikings and totaled 132 rushing attempts for 548 yards (4.2 YPC) to go with 28 catches for 199 yards and three total touchdowns.
Hargrave, 33, is a former third-round pick of the Steelers back in 2016. He played out the final year of his four-year, $3.11 million contract and signed a three-year, $39 million deal with the Eagles in 2020.
He finished the final year of that contract and made $12.75 million in 2022. From there, he signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the 49ers back in 2023.
Hargrave was scheduled to make base salaries of $19.9 million and $21.65 million in the final two years of that deal when San Francisco reworked his contract. The team later released him with a post-June 1 designation ahead of the 2025 season.
He went on to sign a two-year deal worth up to $30 million with the Vikings.
In 2025, Hargrave appeared in 16 games for the Vikings and tallied 52 total tackles, including four tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one recovery.
We’ll have more on the Vikings as the news is available.
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