The Vikings’ Next Moves: What to Expect
To say that the Minnesota Vikings have been active in free agency so far would be an understatement. They have been very active.
Since free agency began, they have signed Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Isaiah Rodgers, and Rondale Moore. They also re-signed Byron Murphy Jr. and traded for Jordan Mason. All should help the club.
The Vikings’ Next Moves: What to Expect
What is more impressive is that they still have plenty of cap space left.
What will they do next? They, of course, need to add a backup quarterback. Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune mentioned Joe Flacco, Ryan Tannehill, and a potential trade as possibilities. Flacco or Tannehill would be good mentors to J.J. McCarthy and could even fill in for a game or two if needed due to an injury.
What about a left guard?
Last season, Blake Brandel was the team’s starting left guard. Could they add one to replace him, perhaps? Teven Jenkins just signed with the Cleveland Browns this week (he would have been a good addition). Will Hernandez is still available. Will they kick the tires on him or wait until after the draft to see if any other ones will be on the market?
The bare minimum is that they should add someone to push Brandel, whether a free agent signing, a trade, or a draft pick.
This team won a surprising 14 games last season. Yes, they were one-and-done in the playoffs, but their progress was still a step in the right direction.
This team looks like they are priming up for a Super Bowl run. If they can stay healthy for the most part and add perhaps another solid piece or two to the roster, they very well could compete for one in 2025.
A lot will also depend on the play of McCarthy, who sat out his entire rookie season due to a knee injury. If he even throws 20-25 touchdowns, that could be enough for Minnesota to get to the big game. The rest of the roster is loaded. Last season, Sam Darnold easily had the best season of his career. That did not come as a surprise, given he had Jefferson, Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. The play of Aaron Jones also took some pressure off of him, and he had a very good offensive mind, with Kevin O’Connell as his head coach.
Will McCarthy throw for 35 touchdowns like Darnold did last season? It’s doubtful, but he does not need to. He will be a part of an even deeper roster than Darnold was.
Since Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was brought in to replace Rick Spielman three years ago, he has done a very good job adding more talent to the roster. His drafting has been poor, yes, but what he has done in free agency and with trades has been exceptional.
He may have another trick or two left up his sleeve, and maybe this year, his draft picks will actually be okay. In the worst-case scenario, most of the cap space can be moved towards next year.
This offseason has been tremendous for Minnesota, and it is still not over. Sometimes, a big signing or trade can be done right before the season starts. Last year, they had a very good offseason, and this one, at least on paper, is looking even better.
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