The Super Bowl ended this past Sunday with the Philadelphia Eagles beating the Kansas City Chiefs.
Every year since 1976, Minnesota Vikings fans have wondered when their team will return to the big game.
Can the Vikings Be Legit Super Bowl Contenders in 2025?
Well, since that season, they have still not made it back. The first Rocky movie was released that same year. Fans still feel sad every time the 1998 and 2009 seasons get brought up. Both teams should have advanced to the Super Bowl. The 1987 team had a good shot, too.
The question now is, can Minnesota make it there in 2025?
They definitely have a shot at doing so if they have a good offseason. Last season, they went a surprising 14-3. Many did not expect them to have a winning record and will have most of their key players returning.
According to Over the Cap, Minnesota is currently $58 million under the salary cap and can clear even more space with some cuts and restructures. Rob Brzezinski has continued to manage the cap very well.
Last year, they had a very good free agency, which included the signings of Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Blake Cashman. All three were very big contributors to the defense. Shaq Griffin and Aaron Jones were also good signings.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has done very well in free agency since being hired after the 2021 season. He also traded for T.J. Hockenson during the trade deadline in 2022.
The issue, though, has been his drafting. Jordan Addison was the team’s first-round pick in 2023 and has been an excellent pick. Outside of that, though, Mensah’s drafting has been very poor overall.
Minnesota needs to improve their interior offensive line, add a defensive tackle next to Harrison Phillips, and improve the secondary, too. They could improve all those areas via free agency, but they must also start hitting on draft picks. Relying on free agency too much can later put teams in cap trouble and force them to release some key players to get under the salary cap.
The 2009 team, which nearly reached the Super Bow,l did have Brett Favre, Steve Hutchinson, Jared Allen, Pat Williams, and Antoine Winfield (all free agents or acquired via trade), but most of their key players that season were draft picks, which included Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice, Bryant McKinnie, Kevin Williams, E.J. Henderson, and Chad Greenway to name some.
SKOL TALK on X: “FA is a supplement to the roster but the draft is the foundation.” / X
If this team has yet another lousy draft, they could still compete for a Super Bowl this upcoming season if they have another outstanding free agency, but having a good draft will give them a better at competing for more Super Bowls down the road. If they can get one promising rookie in this draft, it will strengthen the team in 2025.
Overall, there are reasons to be optimistic about this team in 2025. J.J. McCarthy missed his rookie season and will likely be the starter next season. It is doubtful he will play as well as Sam Darnold just did for them, but if he can throw 20 touchdowns in his first year as a starter, they can be in Super Bowl contention if the rest of the team keeps improving.
Byron Murphy Jr and Camryn Bynum are free agents. Even if both are re-signed, they could still use a cornerback. Maybe D.J. Reed will be their guy. Charvarius Ward, Rasul Douglas, and Carlton Davis III are a few others that will be available. If Bynum is not back, Jevon Holland is out there. He played for Brian Flores in Miami.
A few defensive tackles available are Milton Williams (who played great in the Super Bowl), Levi Onwuzurike, and Osa Odinghizuwa. Some good interior offensive linemen will also be available, such as guards Trey Smith, Teven Jenkins, Will Fries, and centers Drew Dalman and Ryan Kelly.
Plenty of good options available. More players will also be available once teams make cuts to get under the salary cap. Of course, there is the draft, too.
If Minnesota brings Darnold back, it will make it tougher for them to address other needs, given he will command at least $35-$40 million, whereas McCarthy will be making just under $5 million. Daniel Jones could very possibly be re-signed (it would not be expensive) to challenge him for the starting job and could even begin the season as the starter while McCarthy waits a little bit to get his shot.
One thing is for certain. Either McCarthy or Jones will benefit from the supporting cast. Darnold having a career year certainly did not happen by accident. Kevin O’Connell, Justin Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson all helped him a lot, and they will help whoever starts for them next year. Chrisitan Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill will be around, too.
To say this will be a crucial offseason for Minnesota is an enormous understatement. It will undoubtedly be one of the biggest ones for this franchise in the past 30 years.
Free agency is only a month away. Fans cannot wait.
