Dec 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) reacts with Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Before the 2024 NFL Draft, NFL.com ranked the Minnesota Vikings as the league’s 23rd-best team. That’s basically code for 10th-worst.
But after the event, where Minnesota drafted a fancy new quarterback and EDGE rusher in Round 1, the purple team climbed five spots, per NFL.com, now situated at No. 18.
Minnesota is sandwiched between the Los Angeles Rams at No. 17 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 18, previously surrounded by teams like the Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders. Onlookers were evidently impressed by general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s haul in the draft because no notable free agents joined the Vikings in the meantime.
NFL.com’s Eric Edholm explained Minnesota at No. 18: “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. 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.”
O’Connell’s team finished 7-10 last year, featuring a hodgepodge of quarterbacks in Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall after Kirk Cousins was lost for the season in Week 8. Accordingly, it gained the 11th overall pick in the draft and flipped that to No. 10 in a deal with the New York Jets for Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Soon after, Minnesota traded again and landed outside linebacker Dallas Turner at pick No. 17. Change, indeed, for a team that witnessed Cousins and veteran defender Danielle Hunter leave in March.
Edholm continued, “Then again, the Vikings might be fourth right now as a team in their own division. Their aggressive approach, which also helped land pass rusher Dallas Turner, forced them to sit out Day 2 of the draft entirely. This isn’t a team that’s yet ready to graduate to the next tier, but it’s also far easier to see them doing so after the draft.”
The NFL.com ranking is a bit rosier than sportsbooks’ expectations, however. Oddsmakers currently assign the Vikings +8,000 Super Bowl odds, which rank around 22nd-best in the sport. Minnesota is actually bedfellows with the Las Vegas Raiders and New Orleans Saints with the +8,000 moneyline.
The best teams in the NFL per Edholm? In order: Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, and Philadelphia Eagles. The worst: Denver Broncos, Washington Commanders, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, and the Carolina Panthers way down in the basement.
Vikings minicamp kicks off in 33 days.
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.