Janik Eckardt’s Endorsement + Plan for Vikings’ 2025 Offseason

Janik Eckardt |

Mar 9, 2025

The Minnesota Vikings were surprisingly competitive in 2024, the first year without Kirk Cousins under contract. His successor, Sam Darnold, was outstanding for the most part until a late-season flop led to a disappointing season finale. His future and that of numerous other starters will be in the spotlight this offseason.

Janik Eckardt’s Endorsement + Plan for Vikings’ 2025 Offseason

The outcome will differ wildly from the following endorsement + plan, but this is the preferred result for the future.

Please Note: These are not predictions. This is a general endorsement.

A Goodbye and the Keys to the Next Guy

Last year, I endorsed a Cousins goodbye in this spot; this time, Darnold should be let go. While he played well in Minnesota’s dynamic offensive system, the club should save the money and go with 2024 rookie J.J. McCarthy under center.

He was drafted for a reason and has earned a ton of praise throughout his tenure with the purple team.

Darnold, meanwhile, should have some suitors after his Pro Bowl campaign, although the market might be a little disappointing. The Seahawks seem to be a prime candidate for his services. Considering they employ McCarthy, the Vikings would be foolish to outbid anyone who doesn’t have their QB of the future under contract.

It’s time to move on and see if the tenth overall pick from the 2024 draft has what it takes to bring a Championship to the Twin Cities.

Re-Sign 9 Players

The Vikings should re-sign the following in-house free agents:

Daniel Jones (QB)
Aaron Jones (RB)
Trent Sherfield (WR)
Johnny Mundt (TE)
Jihad Ward (DL/OLB)
Harrison Smith (S)
Theo Jackson (S)
Shaq Griffin (CB)
Ryan Wright (P)

Daniel Jones will be the new Darnold and either start over McCarthy if the 22-year-old isn’t ready or hold the clipboard for him. Aaron Jones was solid in his one year with the Vikings, so he should be back. He’s the best running back on the market.

Trent Sherfield was a key special teamer in Matt Daniels’ crew and was useful as a blocking wideout and depth receiver. Johnny Mundt is the ideal do-it-all TE3 behind T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver.

Jihad Ward was the best interior pass rusher the Vikings had and he can return in a similar depth role. Cornerback Shaq Griffin is a reliable player and will remain in his CB3 slot.

At safety, the Vikings hope to get positive news from Harrison Smith, who has been contemplating retirement. Theo Jackson was already re-signed, something I had been endorsing throughout the offseason.

Restricted free agent punter Ryan Wright is re-signed, but the Vikings should look in the draft (or among UDFAs) to find serious competition.

Let These 17 Players Walk

Their tenure in Minnesota should be over.

Sam Darnold (QB)
Nick Mullens (QB)
Cam Akers (RB)
Brandon Powell (WR)
Cam Robinson (LT)
David Quessenberry (OT)
Dalton Risner (OG)
Dan Feeney (OG/C)
Henry Byrd (OG)
Jonathan Bullard (DL)
Jerry Tillery (DL)
Patrick Jones (OLB)
Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB)
Cam Bynum (S)
Byron Murphy (CB)
Stephon Gilmore (CB)
Fabian Moreau (CB)

Certainly, besides Darnold, the two major players on their way out are Cam Bynum and Byron Murphy. Both move on after generating a ton of interest in free agency.

Sign These 7 FAs

There will be many more signings to snure depth, but the following players highlight the group to fill the major needs.

Deonte Harty, WR/PR, (BAL), 1 year, $1.5 million
Elijah Moore, WR, (CLE), 1 year, $4.4 million
Will Fries, OG, (IND), 4 years, $14.31 million/year
Jonathan Allen, DL, (WAS), 3 years, $13 million/year
Devin Bush, LB, (CLE), 2 years, $3.5 million/year
Kristian Fulton, CB, (LAC), 2 years, $5.75 million/year
D.J Reed, CB, (NYJ), 3 years, $14 million/year

Deonte Harty is the new gadget wideout and punt returner, taking over from Powell. He is one of the quickest players in the league and has been a fantastic returner in his career.

Elijah Moore strengthens the wide receiver depth, competing with Jalen Nailor for the WR3 spot. Still only 24 years old (for a couple of more weeks), he has recorded 538 yards in 2024 and 640 yards in 2023.

Will Fries solidifies the subpar interior line. He is the top option on the market and will be costly, but the Vikings need to address the interior.

Jonathan Allen is another pricey player, but the Commanders just released him (that helps in the compensatory pick formula), and he should have something left in the tank. He is reportedly interested in playing for the Vikings and would be a much-needed reinforcement to the defensive line.

Devin Bush played under Brian Flores when he was the linebackers coach in Pittsburgh. He will take over the LB3 duties behind Ivan Pace and Blake Cashman, who both missed some time last year.

Kristian Fulton is a solid CB2, and D.J. Reed is another big-time addition. The Vikings have a solid cornerback rotation with Shaq Griffin and Mekhi Blackmon.

Trade Down in the Draft

Last year, this item featured drafting J.J. McCarthy; this time, the task will be to recoup some draft capital after spending numerous picks to acquire Dallas Turner.

GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah currently has a first-rounder (pick 24) and two fifth-rounders. In addition to that, he will most likely receive pick 97, a compensatory pick for Kirk Cousins’ departure.

Trading the 24th overall pick in exchange for a couple of top 60 picks makes sense.

Select This Draft Class

R2: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
R3: T.J. Sanders, DL, South Carolina
R3: Charles Grant, IOL, William & Mary
R5: James Burnip, P, Alabama
R5: Justin Walley, CB, Minnesota

Note: The Vikings receive picks 37 and 68 from the Raiders in exchange for pick 24.

Adofo-Mensah wants to support young quarterback McCarthy with a strong rushing attack after three years of having an underwhelming ground game. Hampton brings power and speed to the table and has the skill set to become Minnesota’s long-term solution at RB.

T.J. Sanders strengthens the defensive line while Charles Grant competes for a starting spot at guard.

A punter might seem like a strange pick, but the difference in field position is worth the investment. A sweetener is that Burnip played with Vikings kicker Will Reichard in Alabama, and they already have chemistry as the kicker and holder. Walley stays in the state and will provide depth and youth to the secondary.

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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt