4 Vikings Who Could Be Playing Their Final Game for Minnesota

Sunday marks the conclusion of the 2025 season for the Minnesota Vikings.

As the Vikings head onto the field in Week 18 against the Green Bay Packers, it could also mean the end of an era for a number of players. Currently, Minnesota has 14 players set to enter unrestricted free agency this spring and another five will enter some version of restricted free agency.

Here is a look at four players who could be suiting up in purple for the final time on Sunday.

S Harrison Smith

It’s been a storied career for Harrison Smith in Minnesota. Since being selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, he has been a consistent star presence in the Vikings defense, making at least 11 starts in 13 of his 14 seasons.

However, the end of the road may be coming for the 36-year-old safety. Rumors of retirement have been swirling for a couple seasons, but to this point, Smith has remained on the roster on team-friendly deals.

If Sunday does mark the end of Smith’s NFL career, it will be a very storied one as he has put together monster numbers for the Vikings and has been named to the Pro Bowl six times. Heading into Sunday, his 1180 tackles rank fourth among all active players and he leads active players with 39 career interceptions.

WR Jalen Nailor

After being selected in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Jalen Nailor has proven to be one of the few players from that Vikings draft class to be a reliable NFL player. He spent the first two seasons of his career largely as a special teams contributor, but over the past two seasons, he has developed into a steady WR3 in Minnesota.

Last year, he totaled 28 receptions for 414 yards and six touchdowns, and now, he has put together 26 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns despite inconsistent QB play in 2025.

However, with Nailor now heading into unrestricted free agency, there is a chance he has priced himself out of the Vikings’ spending market this offseason, particularly given Minnesota’s salary cap situation and the fact that Minnesota just used a third-round pick on Tai Felton in 2025. Sunday could be his final game for the Vikings.

TE T.J. Hockenson

The Vikings acquired T.J. Hockenson in a blockbuster trade with the Detroit Lions during the 2022 season, and he helped propel the Vikings to an NFC North title during the second half of that season.

However, 2025 has been a disappointing year for the tight end with just 438 yards and three touchdowns to his name despite appearing in 15 games.

The Vikings will be looking to free up some salary cap this spring, and Hockenson’s name very well could be on the trade block over the next few months. The Vikings would save nearly $9 million if they shipped him off.

Hockenson missed last week’s game against the Detroit Lions and is again on the injury report this week, so perhaps he has already played his final game as a Viking if he is unable to suit up this Sunday.

LB Eric Wilson

2025 marked Eric Wilson’s second stint with the Vikings after he played in Minnesota from 2017-2020.

Wilson largely was a reserve player for the Vikings during that first stint, but now in Brian Flores’ defensive scheme, the linebacker has thrived during the 2025 season.

He has recorded career highs in tackles for loss (16) and sacks (6.5) this season, and with five more solo tackles in Week 18, he would match his career high of 62.

Wilson joined the Vikings on a one-year contract in 2025 worth just $2.6 million. The 31-year-old likely will be earning more than that in free agency this spring.

Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this article.