Vikings Will Have 5 Major Items to Address in Offseason
The Minnesota Vikings are poised to reach the postseason, but before too long, the offseason will arrive, and the club will have some rather meaty matters to resolve.
The club is 10-2 through 12 games and has a 99.8% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to ESPN.
Vikings Will Have 5 Major Items to Address in Offseason
And when the season wraps up, all eyes will turn to mammoth offseason decisions, as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell will embark on Year Four in the Twin Cities.
These are the Vikings’ major and impending offseason items afoot, ranked in ascending order of importance (No. 1 = most important).
5. Finding a Defensive Coordinator — or Retaining Brian Flores
The Minnesota Vikings’ defense ranks first in the NFL per DVOA and second per EPA/Play through 13 weeks. The Detroit Lions lead Minnesota in EPA/Play and trail by a spot via DVOA.
The architect? Brian Flores — who could be thick in the head coaching carousel next month. It wouldn’t be strange for Flores to end up as the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, for example, if those clubs veer in a different direction.
Thereafter, Minnesota would be forced to replace Flores, either with an internal candidate like Daronte Jones or an external option. Right when the offseason begins, fans will intently wonder about Flores’ status.
4. The QB2 Matter
Sam Darnold has likely priced himself out of the Vikings’ 2025 budget. He could take over a QB1 gig with the Los Angeles Rams if Matthew Stafford retires or fill another bridge quarterback assignment with a team like the New York Giants.
If Darnold fetches the bag, the Vikings will need another semi-dependable QB2, especially with rookie J.J. McCarthy recovering from injury.
Daniel Jones, who joined the practice squad last week, is the frontrunner in earning the job.
3. Solving the RB Question — Again
To start the 2024 season, the Vikings ran the ball quite efficiently. But then everything stopped, reverting to 2023-like tendencies, at least per NFL ranking.
Here’s the skinny:
Vikings Rushing EPA,
NFL Ranking,
2024:
Week 1-3: 5th
Week 4-13: 28th
Minnesota must re-sign Aaron Jones and draft a rookie tailback with notable capital — or let Jones walk and sign a verified homerun-hitting halfback.
It’s probably time for the Vikings to draft one, and a soon-to-be compensatory pick in 2025 might be perfect for the task.
2. Extending Kevin O’Connell’s Contract
This one is just a matter of time.
Next season is scheduled as O’Connell’s last in the Twin Cities, but the Vikings will extend his deal well before that. He’s absolutely beloved in Minneapolis — by everyone — and will remain Minnesota’s coach for the long haul.
It’s just a matter of when. Probably sometime in February.
1. Obtaining a Franchise Cornerback
Minnesota hasn’t drafted a reliable cornerback since 2015. That was Trae Waynes.
Under back-to-back front offices, the Vikings have repeatedly swung and missed in the draft with high-round capital and cornerbacks.
Whether from free agency or Round 1 of April’s draft, it’s time to locate and obtain a youthful CB1 once and for all.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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