Old Friends the Vikings Could Bring Back This Summer

The Minnesota Vikings’ roster is fully stocked in late May, but before the end of the summer, the club could swap a few players, depending on what happens at training camp. As always, the team could call on some former Vikings, and here’s a look at the most likely candidates.

Minnesota’s roster may still have room for old friends at running back, cornerback, center, and safety.

Ranked in ascending order of likelihood, here’s who makes sense for reunions (No. 1 = most likely reunion candidate).

Familiar Names Who Could Reenter the Mix for Vikings

To get the band back together …

4. Cam Akers | RB

Akers wouldn’t find an easy path to playing time in Minnesota. The Vikings’ current running back room includes Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Demond Claiborne, Zavier Scott, and Kejon Owens. With Jones, Mason, and Claiborne appearing to be solid roster locks, Akers would likely compete with Scott for the RB4 position if he were to return.

Despite the apparent limited opportunity, Akers has a history of securing roster spots against expectations. The Seahawks released him earlier this month, and while the Vikings don’t have an urgent need for him, Akers has previously landed in Minnesota even when not an obvious priority. It’s kind of a running joke — Minnesota cannot quit Akers.

Despite being only 26, Akers’ six-season career includes 2,044 rushing yards on 507 carries, 17 total touchdowns, and 52 receptions for 388 yards. His most compelling story is his bouncebackability. Two Achilles tears typically derail a running back’s career, yet Akers has consistently fought his way back onto NFL rosters.

In short, the Vikings don’t need Akers, but his potential return shouldn’t come as a surprise. They always find a way to get him.

3. A Garrett Bradbury Trade

The Vikings’ center position presents a clear choice: either Blake Brandel solidifies his role, or the team seeks a more familiar option. Brandel is poised to be the starting center in 2026 if the Vikings maintain their current roster. He stepped in last season following injuries to the starting center and steadily improved throughout his tenure.

Minnesota also has Michael Jurgens, a late-round selection from the 2024 NFL Draft, and Gavin Gerhardt, a 7th-Round rookie whom the Vikings reportedly view as more than just a developmental prospect. They specifically scouted Gerhardt as a potential center solution, opting for him over other prospects like Logan Jones and Jake Slaughter.

Which brings us to Bradbury.

Chicago acquired him in March, sending a 5th-Rounder to New England. However, the Bears’ subsequent drafting of Logan Jones last month significantly altered their plans. Jones’ age and draft position indicate he was likely selected to contribute sooner rather than later, potentially even starting in 2026. He’s 25 as a rookie.

This move diminished Chicago’s leverage with Bradbury. The Bears cannot realistically expect to trade Bradbury for more than they paid only months later. A team in dire need of a center could likely acquire him for a 5th or 6th-Round pick, a consequence of Chicago signaling its intentions in the draft.

For the Vikings, the decision is straightforward: send a late-round pick from a potentially deep 2027 draft class to Chicago for a player they know intimately, or proceed into the season with Brandel, Jurgens, and Gerhardt. The only significant hurdle is the NFC North rivalry; Minnesota would need to overcome the unusual hurdle of trading within the division.

2. Fabian Moreau | CB

Last season, the Vikings didn’t require Moreau to be a star; they simply needed him to stabilize a skimpy secondary. Why? Minnesota’s shaky cornerback depth. Byron Murphy Jr. was a known quantity, Isaiah Rodgers offered upside, and Jeff Okudah was a reclamation lottery ticket. Dwight McGlothern and Zemaiah Vaughn were largely unproven, meaning a single injury could have created weekly headaches at the position.

When Okudah suffered an early concussion, followed by another, and struggled, in general, Minnesota turned to Moreau over McGlothern, a move that proved successful. Moreau earned a 70.9 Pro Football Focus grade and allowed a mere 47.4 passer rating on 19 targets. The performance was precisely what the Vikings needed: a disciplined, veteran outside corner capable of preventing breakdowns and stabilizing the entire cornerback unit.

The question for 2026 is whether Minnesota wants to bring him back as a depth piece.

At 32, Moreau isn’t a long-term solution, nor does he need to be. A dependable CB3 or CB4 still holds significant value, particularly for a team acutely aware of how quickly cornerback depth can erode. If the Vikings seek one more outside corner behind Murphy, Rodgers, James Pierre, and rookie Charles Demmings, Moreau’s proven reliability is undeniable. They can even sign Moreau to the practice squad. He’s used to that.

1. Harrison Smith | S

This one is as straightforward as it gets: Will Smith return or retire?

The Vikings treated his final game in 2025 as a retirement send-off, but then Smith hasn’t expressly retired. If he wants to play one more year, that will be in Minnesota, making him the most obvious reunion candidate for the summer of 2026.

Smith Watch has lasted over four months.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker