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J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates with Brian O’Neill #75 and Ryan Kelly #78 after a touchdown against the Chicago Bears.
The Vikings are expected to make a lot of moves this off-season to free up some much-needed cap space.
One of these moves is likely to be center Ryan Kelly, a 10-year NFL veteran. Kelly spent his first 9 seasons of pro ball with the Indianapolis Colts. In the 2025 off-season, he signed a 2-year/$18 million deal to come to Minnesota.
Kelly missed 9 games in 2025 for the Vikings, fighting concussion issues all year long. This wasn’t new for Kelly, as he has at least 6 documented concussions in his career. 3 of them came in 2025 alone, leading to him being placed on IR on two separate occasions.
Vikings May Move on From Ryan Kelly, Who May Just Retire Anyway
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 14: J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings signals under center Ryan Kelly #78 against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter in the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
The best ability is availability, and that’s something Kelly didn’t provide the Vikings with in 2025. When he did play, he was decent, but he just wasn’t able to stay on the field. Kelly hasn’t played a full season since 2022. On top of his 8 games missed in 2025, he also missed 7 in 2024 and 3 in 2023.
“While unconfirmed, there is speculation that Kelly will make the decision for the Vikings and just decide to retire. Reporter Evan Sidrey, who in full transparency doesn’t represent any publication, speculated about this on social media.
The strong expectation is Ryan Kelly will retire after signing with the Vikings last year due to concussion issues. Kelly has suffered six concussions in his career, including three this season with Minnesota. Kelly spent the previous nine seasons with the Colts.”
If Kelly is to retire, it would relieve the Vikings of all non-guaranteed money owed to him on his contract. If Minnesota decides to release him with a pre-June 1st designation, they would save roughly $8.5 million in 2026. The savings of a retirement and a release are pretty much identical.
Minnesota Named Top Landing Spot for CB Mike Hilton
GettyNASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – DECEMBER 15: Mike Hilton #21 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates an interception against the Tennessee Titans in the second quarter at Nissan Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Along with Trey Hendrickson, Hilton was one of the lone bright spots on a terrible Bengals defense in 2025. Hilton will be 32 when free agency takes off, the main issue with Minnesota potentially bringing him on.
PFF explained why this could be a good fit for Hilton.
“While Mike Hilton saw limited time on the field in 2025, his overall profile suggests he has far more to contribute in the right situation. Hilton could step in and man the slot role to a high level. Evidenced by his 76.3 slot PFF coverage grade since the start of 2023 — the seventh-highest mark in the NFL over that span.
Additionally, the veteran cornerback could be used as a versatile weapon in blitz packages. He has been in previous stops with the Bengals and Steelers, with whom he generated seven or more pressures in each full season of his career. ”
They also explained how it could help Byron Murphy Jr. “Murph” is seen as a slot-corner. However he has actually been better on the outside. He had a 49.3 PFF grade when covering in the slot in 2025. If Hilton were to come in, Murphy Jr. could stay outside where he has played better in his Vikings tenure.
Brevan Bane Brevan Bane is a sports scribe covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals. Brevan began his writing career by making a platform on Twitter and leveraging his presence into writing and content creation opportunities for outlets like PurplePTSD, Vikings Territory, The Noise, Hockey Wilderness, and the VikesNow YouTube channel. You can follow him on X @brevmanbane. More about Brevan Bane
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