Vikings’ decisions on these 16 players could shape their future for years to come

After following their surprising NFC North title in 2022 with a 7-10 season that saw them start four different quarterbacks for the first time in franchise history, the Vikings are heading into an offseason that could shape the rest of their decade.

Quarterback Kirk Cousins and edge rusher Danielle Hunter are scheduled to be free agents in March. The Vikings have their highest draft pick since 2015, and could use the 11th overall choice on a quarterback that either replaces Cousins immediately or apprentices under him for at least a year. They will resume talks on what could be a record-breaking deal for wide receiver Justin Jefferson, await a decision from safety Harrison Smith about his future, search for reinforcements on a defense that staggered after an impressive season, and try again to build an identity for their running game.

General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O'Connell are headed into their third offseasons, competing with two NFC North teams that reached the divisional playoffs and a third that has two top-10 picks in April. As they face a series of franchise-changing decisions, here's a look at some of the calls they'll have to make before the new league year begins March 13:

Kirk Cousins

QB | 35 | 2023 cap hit: $20.25 million

Both Cousins and the Vikings have indicated their interest in a reunion in 2024; whether it actually happens could come down to the structure of the contract they'd likely try to finalize before March 13. The Vikings added two void years to Cousins' deal in 2023, which means $28.5 million in dead money would hit their salary cap if they don't sign the quarterback before then. If the Vikings work out a new deal with Cousins, they would count only $10.25 million of the dead money against their cap this season, in addition to whatever new money he receives.

Multiple sources have said Cousins sought guarantees through 2025 last year, and talks broke down when the Vikings were willing to offer only two years' worth of guarantees through 2024. A two-year contract this year could mean guarantees into 2025; if the Vikings offer such a deal and Cousins is willing to sign for a figure that's slightly below what he'd get on the open market, the two sides could find their way back to one another again.

Danielle Hunter

Edge | 29 | 2023 cap hit: $20.95 million

Hunter thrived in Brian Flores’ defense, which turned him loose as a pass rusher again. His career-high 16½ sacks led the NFC, and he ranked third in the conference in quarterback pressures with 41. He signed a five-year, $72 million extension in 2018 that quickly became outdated, and Hunter’s camp first expressed its disapproval over the deal in 2020. The Vikings have restructured the deal annually since then, and now that Hunter is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career before his 30th birthday, he could be seeking the top-of-market deal his camp has long wanted. If he returns to Minnesota, it could be because of his affinity for the coaching staff and a creative set of negotiations from Rob Brzezinski, the Vikings’ executive vice president of football operations.

Jordan Hicks

LB | 31 | 2023 cap hit: $5 million

The Vikings need to decide whether to offer a new deal to Hicks, who accepted a pay cut before 2023 and thrived in Flores' defense before a Nov. 12 injury that required emergency surgery to address compartment syndrome in his right leg. Hicks will be 32 in June, but ran the Vikings' defensive huddle while blitzing more than he had in years, recording 107 tackles in 13 games and scoring his first defensive touchdown since his rookie year. If he's open to an affordable deal, the Vikings could bring him back to play with Ivan Pace Jr. after Brian Asamoah II seemed to fall out of favor in the defense.

D.J. Wonnum

Edge | 26 | 2023 cap hit: $2.93 million

Wonnum became the counterpart to Hunter the Vikings hoped they were getting in Marcus Davenport, matching a career high with eight sacks while scoring his first career touchdown on a fumble return against Carolina. A torn quadriceps muscle on Dec. 24 ended Wonnum's season, and his free agent value could depend on teams' comfort level with his recovery. The Vikings should have a better sense of that than any other team, though, and Wonnum could be a candidate to return if the Vikings believe he's likely to keep improving under Flores.

Dalton Risner

G | 28 | 2023 cap hit: $2.63 million

Risner stepped in as the starting left guard after Ezra Cleveland was injured (and subsequently traded) in October. He did not allow a sack in 12 games, and has said he wants to return to Minnesota in 2024. The Vikings could be interested in bringing him back, and after spending more than six months as a free agent in 2023, Risner could be looking to settle his 2024 destination earlier in the year. If he can agree with the Vikings on a reasonable deal, he could return.

K.J. Osborn

WR | 26 | 2023 cap hit: $2.81 million

The Vikings drafted Jordan Addison 23rd overall last spring, knowing Osborn was headed for free agency in 2024, and even with Jefferson missing seven games, Osborn’s numbers slipped in 2023 as he fell behind T.J. Hockenson and Addison in the offense. Osborn caught 48 passes for 540 yards, down from 60 and 650 in 2022. The Vikings have valued his leadership and reliability as a No. 3 receiver, but the former fifth-round pick could head into free agency in search of a bigger role than he’d likely have in Minnesota going forward.

Marcus Davenport

Edge | 27 | 2023 cap hit: $6.2 million

The Vikings signed Davenport to a one-year, $13 million deal last offseason, knowing he might become the replacement for Za'Darius Smith if the pass rusher left because of discontentment with his contract. The injury-prone Davenport played only 118 snaps, though, and as promising as he looked in his brief stints on the field, his extended absences because of ankle injuries would seem to make him unlikely to return in 2024.

Jonathan Bullard

DL | 30 | 2023 cap hit: $1.07 million

Bullard played a career-high 644 snaps in 2023 and finished the season with two sacks. His deal in 2023 qualified for the veteran minimum salary benefit. The Vikings could look for upgrades along the defensive line that might reduce his playing time during his age-31 season, but could view Bullard as an affordable piece that adds value to their defensive line. It's reasonable to think they could bring him back on another veteran minimum deal.

Brandon Powell

WR | 28 | 2023 cap hit: $1.093 million

Powell played a larger role late in the season and set career highs in catches (29) and yards (324) as a result. His value on special teams could also pique the Vikings’ interest in bringing him back on another affordable contract, and Powell’s familiarity with O’Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips could make the Vikings an attractive spot for Powell.

Greg Joseph

K | 29 | 2023 cap hit: $2 million

Joseph improved on extra points in 2023, hitting 94.7% of them after making only 87% in 2022, but still struggled on longer field goals: all six of his misses were from 40 yards or more. The Vikings could look to bring him back on a similar deal to the one-year contract they gave him last year, but might explore competition for him again this spring.

Harrison Smith

S | 34 | 2024 cap hit: $19.22 million

The six-time Pro Bowler accepted a pay cut to return in 2023; if he's to return for a 13th season in Minnesota in 2024, he'd likely need to do so again. Smith said after the Vikings' final regular-season game he wouldn't make a quick decision about retirement; his immediate focus was on spending time with his newborn son, he said. If he plays again in 2024, it seems unlikely he'd be anywhere other than Minnesota. O'Connell and Flores have said they want Smith to return, and the Vikings could restructure his deal to save cap space. Smith will be 35 on Feb. 2; the decision about whether he comes back seems to be his to make.

Harrison Phillips

DL | 27 | 2024 cap hit: $8.83 million

Phillips accepted Flores' decision to move him from nose tackle to defensive end, where he started all 17 games, played 883 snaps and posted a career-high three sacks in 2023. If the Vikings are looking for more pass rush from their defensive ends, though, Phillips could be a candidate for a cut or restructure before the final year of his deal. He has no guaranteed money for 2024, and the team would save $6.5 million by releasing him; the Vikings could bring him back by guaranteeing part of a reduced base salary.

Dean Lowry

DL | 29 | 2024 cap hit: $4.48 million

Lowry played only 237 snaps in nine games before going to injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle he suffered in the Broncos game on Nov. 19. Lowry did not have a quarterback hit in nine games, and the fact the Vikings would save $2.2 million by cutting him would make him seem like a release candidate.

Byron Murphy Jr.

CB | 26 | 2024 cap hit: $10.2 million

The Vikings face an interesting decision on Murphy; he was their best cover corner in 2023, and could return as their most experienced cornerback again in 2024, but the team would save $5.4 million if it decided to release Murphy before the season. He missed the Vikings' final three games after finishing the Bengals game on Dec. 16 with a grade 3 MCL strain in his knee. The team's lack of cornerback depth could make it hard to part with Murphy, and the Vikings might look for their cap savings elsewhere, but it's a situation worth watching nonetheless.

Justin Jefferson

WR | 24 | 2024 cap hit: $19.74 million

The Vikings and Jefferson seemed close before the season on an extension that would have made him the league’s highest-paid receiver at more than $30 million per year, but they paused talks the day before the opener. It’s possible the deal won’t be finished before the Vikings solve their quarterback question. Jefferson has repeatedly backed Cousins, and indicated a willingness to state his support for the QB to the front office, though he’s stopped short of publicly demanding Cousins’ return. Still, it would seem reasonable he would want to know the Vikings’ QB plan before signing a long-term deal. The Vikings could use the franchise tag on him in 2025 and 2026 if he doesn’t sign this year, but they will likely make an extension before the 2024 season a priority.

Christian Darrisaw

LT | 24 | 2024 cap hit: $4.25 million

The Vikings will pick up Darrisaw's fifth-year option in May, and wouldn't need to sign him this year as a result. Still, they've likely begun budgeting for a deal with the left tackle, who's become a fixture at one of the game's most important positions and stands to become one of the highest-paid players in the league at his position. Four left tackles (Laremy Tunsil, Andrew Thomas, Trent Williams and David Bakhtiari) are currently on contracts that average more than $23 million per year; Darrisaw seems in line to eventually join that group.