5 Things to Look Forward to This Vikings Offseason
The Minnesota Vikings will end their season in eight days, taking on the Green Bay Packers at home in a contest that will decide if the purple team finishes with a winning or losing record. Then, the offseason will arrive, and the franchise already has a handful of items to look forward to from a fan’s perspective.
Minnesota’s next few months won’t be quiet or cosmetic; the roster has real pressure points, and the offseason is set up to answer them with picks, cap decisions, and one defining call under center.
The 2025 campaign proved to be a rollercoaster experience — and then some. Here’s what to anticipate from February through May.
The Biggest Reasons Minnesota Has an Interesting Spring Ahead
The Vikings’ offseason will be here in about one week.
1. Nearly All Draft Picks Are Untouched
In the early and mid-rounds, Minnesota is only missing one notable pick: the 4th-Round selection used to obtain Adam Thielen via trade from the Carolina Panthers in August. It’s worth noting that the deal worked out terribly for the Vikings because Thielen has hit an age-related wall.
But aside from a missing 4th-Rounder, the draft piggybank is stocked, a reversal from last year when general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah didn’t have many picks. He shipped the farm to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024 for Dallas Turner, so the 2025 draft lacked the typical amount of draft capital.
This year isn’t like that, and in fact, the Vikings will get an extra compensatory 3rd-Round pick due to Sam Darnold’s free-agent departure.
2. Finally a Young Running Back?
It might be Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame in Round 1. It might be his teammate Jadarian Price on Day 2. It might be Washington’s Jonah Coleman later in the draft. The conclusion is the same: the Vikings need a young running back, and they need one badly.
The stopgap phase has run its course. Rotating through aging backs and familiar names produced mixed results at best, but it never solved the problem. Kevin O’Connell’s offense requires a runner who can shoulder volume, dictate defensive attention, and sustain efficiency over a full workload.
Minnesota’s offense won’t fully unlock until that player arrives. Free agency rarely delivers it. The draft does — and it’s the only realistic path left.
Even for the Vikings’ front office that prefers savvy veterans like Alexander Mattison, Aaron Jones, and Jordan Mason, it’s likely apparent that a young running back is required.
3. End-of-Season Momentum Carried Over
At one point, about a month ago, Minnesota had a 4-8 record after a horrid loss at the Seattle Seahawks. The team staggered after a four-game losing streak, with fans questioning whether O’Connell would have long-term staying power as the top guy.
Fast forward to Christmas, and O’Connell rattled off four wins in a row, and now Minnesota looks like one of those classic teams that will finish strong in a sour season and be ready for 2026.
There was a world where Minnesota didn’t fire off a win streak, finished 5-12 or so, and the outlook would have looked bleak. That’s not the case for Minnesota at the moment. It’s the opposite, in fact.
4. A Better Second Quarterback
Because J.J. McCarthy has played inconsistently in his second year, along with a litany of separate injuries, it’s rather clear that Minnesota cannot roll into 2026 with Brett Rypien, Sam Howell, Carson Wentz, or Max Brosmer as the QB2. Those four men were the plan in 2025, and the strategy has not worked too swimmingly. The evidence is too glaring to ignore.
With an injury-prone quarterback, Adofo-Mensah must invest in a top-notch backup quarterback if he sticks with McCarthy as his main QB1 solution in 2026. There’s simply no other option following McCarthy’s repeated injury woes.
Last offseason, Minnesota basically ignored quarterbacks in free agency. It won’t do that again. It can’t. It wouldn’t be shocking if Adofo-Mensah swung a trade for a passer like Mac Jones.
5. Guaranteed Attention to Defensive Secondary
If one assumes that Harrison Smith retires — in front of a microphone, he sounds like a guy who’s about to retire — Minnesota has these starting-level cornerbacks under contract in 2026:
- Byron Murphy Jr. (CB)
- Isaiah Rodgers (CB)
- Josh Metellus (S)
- Theo Jackson (S)
Jay Ward has played well at safety as of late, and in theory, he could be promoted.
But there is not enough beef in the secondary. It’s lacking for a team that will inevitably have Super Bowl dreams. Smith’s probable retirement will likely thrust Adofo-Mensah into action. He arguably needs this defensive back wishlist from free agency and the draft:
- A Promising Young CB (preferably a stud from the draft for once)
- Smith’s Starting Replacement at Safety
- A Meaningful Depth Cornerback
That’s three pressure-cooked roster needs — too loud to ignore.
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