The Minnesota Vikings offseason has been notably quiet in 2026, prompting one wildcard theory ahead of the season.
After spending $350 million last season, that number cratered to just $226 million in 2026, marking the second-lowest spend in the NFL. The stark difference has led to one simple conclusion for Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press: the Wilfs are gearing up to sell the Minnesota Vikings.
“This is the 21st year the Wilfs have owned the Vikings. Until this year, they have made a commendable attempt at winning the Lombardi Trophy,” wrote Walters.
“Meanwhile, the Twins’ Pohlad ownership isn’t unlike what Red McCombs did with the Vikings in 2005 before selling to the Wilfs. McCombs, who bought the Vikings for $246 million in 1998, cut player and coaching staff payroll to a bare minimum and waited until he got his price ($600 million) from the Wilfs.
If the Wilfs, who curiously still haven’t named a permanent general manager since firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah last January, were to sell the Vikings today, they could get between $8 billion and $9 billion.”
Are the Wilfs Really Looking to Sell the Vikings?
While the Vikings spending has dramatically dropped from last season, the issues may stem more from years of bad free agency decisions under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah than a signal that the team is about to be sold. Still, Walters argues that all the signs are pointing to that very possibility.
“It’s beginning to look as if Vikings ownership now could be mirroring Twins ownership, which has sought to sell its team,” he said.
“It appears Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf have decided on a significant payroll slash this year. The Vikings won’t admit it, but this sure looks like a rebuilding year.”
The Wilf owners have long avoided rebuilding years, seeking to make the team competitive year in and year out, so a step away from that standard has sent up some red flags. But although the spending is down, adding quarterback Kyler Murray for cheap and a strong draft has put the Vikings in a good position to make a playoff push.
While it’s unlikely the Vikings are planning a sale, this offseason has undoubtedly been a dramatic correction from past years of heavy spending.
Vikings Have Yet to Find a General Manager for 2026 and Beyond
As rookie minicamp and OTA’s quickly approach, the Vikings are still without a general manager. Interim GM Rob Brzezinski has held the role throughout the offseason and the NFL Draft, but Minnesota has made it clear that their search will cast a wide net.
“There remains plenty of support among staffers for Brzezinski to get a promotion, even as he has continued to put off those discussions,” wrote ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “By all indications, the Wilf brothers are going to run a genuinely open-ended search. It could include Brzezinski, but he is in no way a preferred candidate.”
So while Brzezinski has done an admiral job so far filling in for the fired Adofo-Mensah, the Vikings are likely to at least explore several other options.
Unusual Vikings Offseason Sparks Speculation That The Team Will Be Sold