Sep 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) reacts after a sack against the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings have an 8-2 record and 94.8% odds to reach the postseason, according to DVOA.
Next, the purple team travels to Soldier Field for a date with the Chicago Bears, a venue where the Vikings have won four straight games.
And with the postseason in plain sight, the Vikings conducted some wonderful moves to arrive at their current standing in an offseason spanning from last January to early September.
These were the Vikings’ top four offseason moves, with the advantage of hindsight after Week 11. They’re ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = best offseason move).
The Vikings used a 6th-Round draft pick on a kicker in April, and many self-proclaimed smart football fans said, “What are you doing? You shouldn’t use draft picks on kickers.”
Then, Reichard began his rookie campaign perfectly before hurting his quad.
The guy was worth the draft pick, and he’s on track to hold down Minnesota’s kicking job — which is a big deal for a team with splotchy kicker relations — for the next decade.
Kirk Cousins hasn’t performed poorly in Atlanta, but the Vikings are receiving Cousins-like production from Sam Darnold, who is $30 million cheaper.
Allowing Cousins to depart via free agency enabled general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to sign players like Jonathan Greenard, Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Aaron Jones. Cousins didn’t necessarily “hold the Vikings back,” but landing Darnold for equal production was the right move. Especially with J.J. McCarthy waiting in the wings for 2025.
No matter what happens to Minnesota in the rest of the regular season or the postseason, it has its one big hope in McCarthy waiting to take QB1 baton.
In fact, the Vikings have never really been in this situation, except for the 1999 season, when Daunte Culpepper was waiting to take during the Jeff George season.
The short and long-term fate of Vikings football rests on whether McCarthy morphs into a franchise quarterback. It’s really awesome that the franchise finally took the plunge for a Round 1 passer.
Adofo-Mensah added these free agents last offseason:
Imagine where the team would be without the first six.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.