Why the Vikings Could Return to the Playoffs in 2026
The Minnesota Vikings failed to make the playoffs in 2025, so the first aim for the 2026 season is a return to the playoffs. That will be a tough ask in what should once again be a very competitive NFC North.
Predictions about which non-playoff teams will make the playoffs next time around are a favorite topic in media circles during the offseason. The Vikings’ divisional foe, the Detroit Lions, has been a popular choice in these discussions, as the Lions surprisingly finished at the bottom of the division last season.
QB Stability Will Define Minnesota’s Ceiling
Minnesota finished with the same record as the Lions last season, just half a game back of the Green Bay Packers, who made the playoffs as a wildcard team.
The Vikings have been put forward by some as a playoff-returning team in 2026, despite a relatively quiet offseason with no big splash moves to bring in new players. Of course, there was one very notable addition to the roster with the free agency signing of quarterback Kyler Murray.
For those who believe the Vikings can be a playoff team in 2026, that move has made the difference.
The Case for Vikings Playoffs Football in 2026
The 2025 Vikings had a roster that could contend, led by one of the best defenses in the league under Brian Flores. Despite another offseason of head coaching interviews, Flores is back in Minnesota for the 2026 season, which is great news for the Vikings.
There are currently some big holes on the roster at defense – notably safety and defensive tackle – but Flores has proven time and again that he doesn’t need star players to build a formidable defense.
The Vikings offense is full of talent, but in 2025, that roster was hampered by poor quarterback play. An offense that boasted Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and Jordan Mason should be amongst the most dangerous in the league – it simply wasn’t.
All of those five are back for 2026, with perhaps room to add via the draft. The solution to a better season for Minnesota comes from better QB play. Enter Kyler Murray.
QB Can Be the Difference
Second-year passer J.J. McCarthy was in and out of the lineup with injury and had some major struggles. Kevin O’Connell found a way to get nine wins out of an offense led by a mix of McCarthy, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, and Carson Wentz, who played two of his four games with one good arm.
The Vikings need stability and consistency at the QB position, and while Murray doesn’t scream those two things, he should offer the Vikings more than what they got last season. A healthy Murray should be pushing for 4000 passing yards over a season.
With a talented roster that hasn’t had anyone vital to last season’s successes, pending a resolution of the Jonathan Greenard issue. Finding one extra win that might be enough to claim a playoff place isn’t an insurmountable task. A good draft may well be the difference.
Minnesota moves on with an interim GM, which is unusual, but they hope a team effort will yield better results than they got from recently departed Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
The Vikings absolutely should be aiming for the playoffs this season, but can they get there? At this stage, it feels like it will be tight and the team might need a little bit more – from the draft or elsewhere.
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