The Minnesota Vikings might be imploding right in front of our very eyes. And while that's not the first -- and it certainly won't be the last -- time it has happened, Green Bay Packers fans will always rejoice when their neighbors struggle.
Kevin O'Connell's team is going through a forced transition right now. Their salary cap situation has put them in a tough spot, and they've now had to basically undo everything former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah tried to do.
According to ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, the Vikings are expected to release veteran DT Jonathan Allen. If that wasn't bad enough, they will also move on from fellow DT Javon Hargrave, unless they find him a trade partner, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
With these subtractions from the roster on the horizon, it only amplifies the mistake the franchise made by trading Harrison Phillips to the New York Jets.
The Vikings Made a Huge Mistake With Harrison Phillips
Watching all of this unfold, it's impossible not to remember how things panned out with Harrison Phillips. They sent DT Harrison Phillips and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the New York Jets for a 2026 sixth-round and a 2027 seventh-round selection. Now, the Jets are undoubtedly facing seller's remorse.
Phillips was the odd man out with Hargrave and Allen on the roster. He outplayed both of them with Aaron Glenn's tutelage, though, all while the Vikings are now moving on from both of their other defensive tackles just one year later. To add insult to injury, Phillips made just $3.3 million last season, whereas Hargrave and Allen combined to make $42 million in 2025.
According to Pro Football Focus, Phillips ranked 24th among 134 defensive linemen, posting a 72.5 overall grade. That was significantly higher than Hargrave's (68.0, 35th) and Allen's (53.2, 86th). Even if that weren't the case, they essentially gave the Jets a starting-caliber tackle on a silver platter for 13 times less money than they wound up paying for his replacements.
The Vikings are now a whopping $46 million over the salary cap, according to Over The Cap. They were quickly built to make a Super Bowl run last season after winning 14 games the year prior. Then, the J.J. McCarthy debacle may have set them back five or so years. They don't seem to have a plan now, and will have to improvise with whatever money's left.
The NFC North is the most competitive division in pro football, and any minor edge will be crucial. Watching a team that looked poised to compete at the highest level implode is always great news for divisional rivals; it just happens to be much sweeter when it happens to the Vikings.