The Vikings’ Unflattering Position in All Power Rankings
If you’re just reentering the fold of Minnesota Vikings football, know that the team is not on deck to do great things in 2024, at least not per the court of public opinion.
The Vikings’ Unflattering Position in All Power Rankings
The franchise produced a transformative offseason, cutting ties with quarterback Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter, along with about 15 others, while welcoming around 40 new players from free agency, the draft, and undrafted free agency.
So, here’s where the Vikings stand in various NFL power rankings.
SI.com
No. 17
The Explanation:
“I think I will be the most wrong about the Vikings out of any team. I came out fairly strongly against the J.J. McCarthy pick, which is a foolish stance given how good Kevin O’Connell is at tutoring the quarterback position and the fact that McCarthy has two elite wide receivers and a great tight end,” John Pluyn wrote. “If Kwesi Adofo-Mensah hits on McCarthy and Dallas Turner, we could be looking at another GM with offensive and defensive rookies of the year potential. For the record, I hated Houston’s draft a year ago, too, so Adofo-Mensah is in good company.”
Notably Better Than:
Dallas Cowboys
Notably Worse Than:
Indianapolis Colts
NFL.com
No. 18
The Explanation:
“There’s a decent case to list the Vikings higher than this, given their targeted, aggressive approach in the draft and a theoretical upgrade at football’s most important position,” Eric Edholm opined. “J.J. McCarthy will continue to face doubters until he proves himself at the pro level, but he landed in the best environment a rookie quarterback could hope for, working with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, a strong offensive line and — perhaps most importantly — Kevin O’Connell.”
Notably Better Than:
Atlanta Falcons
Notably Worse Than:
Chicago Bears
Sporting News
No. 20
The Explanation:
“The Vikings can sympathize with the Browns, as they’re stuck in the loaded NFC North. QB J.J. McCarthy and edge Dallas Turner each have Rookie of the Year potential for Kevin O’Connell. It will be fun to see every game in this division, especially McCarthy vs. Williams,” Vinnie Iyer weighed in.
Notably Better Than:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Notably Worse Than:
Chicago Bears
The Athletic
No. 20
The Explanation:
Josh Kendall wrote, “If J.J. McCarthy is as good as (or even close to as good as) Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will have had the best draft of the year. If he’s not the guy, then Minnesota will have let a solid veteran quarterback leave and then expended a lot of draft assets only to fail to answer the quarterback question. Getting Alabama edge Dallas Turner at No. 17 is a nice touch either way.”
Notably Better Than:
Los Angeles Chargers
Notably Worse Than:
Seattle Seahawks
Pro Football Network
No. 21
The Explanation:
“The Vikings have a ton of talent, especially on offense. They could give any quarterback a fighting chance. Still, Sam Darnold is a journeyman for a reason, and rookie J.J. McCarthy might need to redshirt for a season. Minnesota should be a fascinating team to watch,” Dakota Randall noted on the Vikings’ ranking.
Notably Better Than:
Los Angeles Chargers
Notably Worse Than:
Chicago Bears
Sharp Football Analysis
No. 22
The Explanation:
n/a
Notably Better Than:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Notably Worse Than:
Pittsburgh Steelers
Yahoo Sports
No. 22
The Explanation:
Frank Schwab detailed the ranking: “At a time when offseason narratives were set, the Vikings got buried and dismissed. The Lions were coming off an NFC championship game appearance. The Packers got hot late last season with Jordan Love. The Bears added players in anticipation of Caleb Williams’ arrival. And in March, the Vikings lost Kirk Cousins without an immediate succession plan. But the Vikings did find a quarterback solution with J.J. McCarthy.”
Notably Better Than:
n/a
Notably Worse Than:
n/a
Pro Football Talk
No. 23
The Explanation:
Mike Florio asked the question, “Will they be better or worse without Kirk Cousins?”
Notably Better Than:
New York Jets
Notably Worse Than:
Denver Broncos
ESPN
No. 23
The Explanation:
“The Vikings overhauled two primary positions this offseason: quarterback and pass rush,” Kevin Seifert wrote. “We’ll lean toward quarterback as the most improved because it now revolves around J.J. McCarthy, whose relatively inexpensive rookie contract will provide additional cap space over the next four years to afford overhauls like the one Minnesota executed with its pass rush. The combined cap number of McCarthy and veteran Sam Darnold in 2024 is roughly one-third what incumbent Kirk Cousins would have commanded.”
Notably Better Than:
New Orleans Saints
Notably Worse Than:
Pittsburgh Steelers
Bleacher Report
No. 23
The Explanation:
“Between the growing pains that will come with that and the uncertainty throughout a defense that ranked 24th in the league against the pass in 2023, the Vikings are more likely headed for an also-ran season than a surprise playoff berth,” Gary Davenport explained.
Notably Better Than:
Chicago Bears
Notably Worse Than:
New Orleans Saints
FanSided
No. 24
The Explanation:
“By the end of the year, I don’t think any playoff-caliber team will want to play the Minnesota Vikings. This was a great draft by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah,” John Buhler opined. “The team has full belief that J.J. McCarthy is going to be everything they ever wanted and then some at the quarterback position. The only problem I have is that they will start games with Sam Darnold, and he is an interception machine.”
Notably Better Than:
No notable teams
Notably Worse Than:
New Orleans Saints
Pro Football Focus
No. 25
The Explanation:
n/a
Notably Better Than:
No notable teams
Notably Worse Than:
Denver Broncos
—
The overall aggregate score suggests the Vikings are the NFL’s 22nd-best team — also known as 11th-worst.
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 Vikings 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.
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