EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings have begun whittling down their salary cap deficit by informing veteran running back Aaron Jones Sr. and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave that they will be released later this month barring a trade, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday.

The moves will save the team $18.65 million in cap space. Entering the weekend, the Vikings were roughly $43 million over the NFL’s $301.2 million cap, the result of two consecutive years of heavy free agent spending. Other candidates for contract termination include defensive tackle Jonathan Allen and center Ryan Kelly. It’s also possible that the Vikings could lower the cap number of other players — including receiver Justin Jefferson, right tackle Brian O’Neill and tight end T.J. Hockenson — via either contract extensions or restructures.

Jones, 31, spent two seasons with the Vikings after playing his first seven years in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers. He produced career highs in touches (306), carries (255), offensive snaps (700) and rushing yards (1,138) during the 2024 season, but injuries caught up to him in 2025. He played in 12 games and managed only 548 rushing yards and 747 total yards from scrimmage, both the lowest in his career since he was a rookie in 2017.

A beloved and respected member of the Vikings’ locker room, Jones was essentially the team’s No. 2 running back behind Jordan Mason and was set to earn $10 million in 2026, with a cap number of $14.8 million.

Hargrave, meanwhile, signed a two-year contract last year with the Vikings after recovering from a torn right triceps that cut short his 2024 season with the San Francisco 49ers.

He started 15 games at age 33 but managed only 3.5 sacks and was set to earn $15 million with a cap number of $21.7 million for the 2026 season.