The Minnesota Vikings‘ fall from playoff contention during the 2025 campaign came with a bigger twist this offseason. Instead of upgrading the squad with big-money investments, the payroll this year plunged from $350 million to $226 million, raising questions about a potential behind-the-scenes move.

“The most obvious evidence to support that conclusion comes from the $124 million drop in cash spending from one year to the next,” wrote Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently.

The Vikings spent approximately $350 million last year on the salary payroll of the players, alongside the new signees. After getting rid of the previous season’s star performer, Sam Darnold, they set high expectations for quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who was a first-round pick from the 2024 draft.

But J.J failed to deliver after another injury-hit season, while the franchise missed the playoffs and ended the season 9-8 behind the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North.

But this year saw a notable drop of $124 million in total spending, fuelled by Jonathan Greenland’s trade. He was supposed to be paid $19 million before being shipped to the Philadelphia Eagles. The linebacker’s current contract will pay him $98 million for four years.

The team also removed veteran defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, who arrived just last season. He carried a hefty salary of $17 million, and the move handed the franchise major cap relief. The budget cut didn’t stop there, as they also got rid of defensive tackle Javon Hargrave after only one season. His salary sat at $15 million a year.

Mark Wilf and Zygi Wilf bought the Purple and Gold for $600 million in 2005. However, two decades later, the return on the investment can be tenfold, a motivating factor behind the potential sale rumors. Although there is no specific number, the Washington Commanders were the last NFL team sold in 2023, for $6.05 million.

A sale in 2026 is likely to easily surpass that number, considering the valuation of NFL teams jumped about 25% from the 2024 to the 2025 season alone.

Moreover, the recent market moves of the Minnesota-based sports teams have also fueled the growing speculation. For instance, the NBA team Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA team Minnesota Lynx’s sale was finalized last year.

Amid the continuous uncertainty over the ownership, the franchise is still without a new general manager, which has only ignited the rumor that Mark and Zygi Wilf are ready to offload the team.

The Vikings’ latest update on the general manager situation

After the 2025 season ended, the Vikings fired former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who had been associated with the franchise since 2022. Although it has been over four months since his exit, they have yet to find a suitable replacement while Rob Brzezinski is serving as the acting GM.

As the Vikings fans speculate who will hold the position next, Mark and Zygi recently gave an update on the situation.

“With the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, our search for the next general manager of the Minnesota Vikings is underway,” noted the Vikings officially on X. “This will be a thorough and deliberate process led by ownership, with support from a small internal advisory of senior leaders. We have also engaged with the respected firm TurnkeyZRG to assist in conducting a wide-ranging search that includes experienced football executives, emerging candidates, and individuals with diverse professional backgrounds. Our focus is to identify a decisive leader with a clear vision for team building, strong communication skills, and the ability to build alignment across an organization.”

With the rookie minicamp and OTA offseason workouts scheduled in May, a new general manager is expected to be named within a few weeks. Former GM Mensah relied on analytics and statistics to select players and coaches, but the owners recently hinted they are moving away from it, leaning towards a more traditional football background.

Additionally, it remains to be seen if Rob gets the role permanently, given his extensive experience working in Minnesota since 1999. Besides the role of acting GM, he is the executive vice president of the football operations for the organization.