Javon

Hargrave

The deal includes $13 million in 2026, potentially giving Green Bay an early out if the 10-year veteran starts showing signs of aging following his age-33 season. The former two-time Pro Bowler played the 2025 season with the Vikings, registering only 3.5 sacks and 52 tackles in 16 appearances. He did prove healthy last year after playing only three games for the 49ers in 2024 and brings another capable body up front for the retooled Packers.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter previously reported that the Vikings would try to trade Hargrave before cutting. No takers were found and now Hargrave will be a free agent. Hargrave signed a two-year, $30 million contract with the Vikings amid their spending spree last offseaosn. He amassed 3.5 sacks and wasn’t particularly effective against the run, according to Pro Football Focus. Now a veteran of 10 years, Hargrave should be able to find a new home rather quickly.

The Vikings have a lot of cap space to create and this was always the likely move based on that calculus. Jones probably won’t attract much interest on the trade market as he enters his age-32 season and has started to leave a concerning number of games with injuries, in addition to being placed on IR for a short stint early in the 2025 season. He’d likely only have head-of-committee ceiling heading into the 2026 offseason. Schefter added that the same trade-or-release ultimatum exists for DT Javon Hargrave.

This is usually the first step towards a release, and The Athletic’s Alec Lewis called Hargrave’s release “a predictable offseason move” in December. Hargrave simply didn’t live up to expectations last year. Entering his age-33 season, we’d be surprised if the Vikings got anything more than a late-round swap for Hargrave.

Hargrave can be cut for $11 million in cap savings. The veteran has been solid-but-unspectacular and turns 33 this offseason. He’d probably have a real market as a veteran plugger somewhere, but Hargrave has been a so-so run defender since leaving the Steelers and likely won’t command the same kind of salary in 2026 as he did last year.

The Vikings’ top-tier defense just got better. Hargrave suffered a season-ending torn triceps in Week 3, 2024, but managed to generate eight quarterback pressures and one sack before the injury. At 32 years old, Hargrave is no longer the dominant DT he once was but DC Brian Flores should be able to maximize Hargrave’s current abilities.

The Vikings are pouring resources into the defensive line in free agency, adding Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, who inked a three-year deal with the Vikings on Tuesday morning. Hargrave, who logged 21.5 sacks from 2021-2023, missed most of the 2024 season with a serious triceps injury. This move isn’t completed yet because Hargrave’s release from the 49ers is not yet official, but the terms seem agreed to. He’ll be an immediate upgrade for a Minnesota defensive line graded by PFF as last season’s eighth-worst pass rushing unit.

The move won’t be official until the new league year but is a done deal either way. Lynch noted that the team has interest in bringing Hargrave back for the 2025 season after he is released. San Francisco signed the veteran pass-rusher to a four-year, $80 million contract two years ago. He tallied a modest seven sacks in 2023 and missed all but three games because of a torn tricep this year. The 49ers will only save $2.4 million in cap space while incurring a dead cap hit of $25 million, spread over two years.

This was the expected outcome after it was revealed the veteran defensive tackle suffered a partially torn triceps in the team’s Week 3 loss to the Rams. Hargrave is expected to undergo surgery and miss the remainder of the 2024 season.

Hargrave’s most recent injury was initially reported as a contusion, with head coach Kyle Shanahan revealing to the media today that the veteran defensive tackle partially tore his tricep in the team’s Week 3 loss to the Rams. He will now miss the remainder of the 2024 regular season.