The Vikings haven't done much in free agency this offseason, but there's been enough roster turnover to provide a fair assessment of each position group and determine where the team has improved or regressed compared to last season. Let's break it down...
The Vikings haven't done much in free agency this offseason, but there's been enough roster turnover to provide a fair assessment of each position group and determine where the team has improved or regressed compared to last season.
Let's break it down....Going from J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer to Kyler Murray, McCarthy, and Wentz is an upgrade of monstrous significance. Murray could be a Pro Bowl-caliber starter, while McCarthy will probably be improved, and Wentz will be a very high-quality backup whose shoulder injury last season will be fully healed.This could get an upward arrow after the Vikings address running back in the draft, but there haven't been any changes to justify a better or worse reaction just yet. Jordan Mason and Aaron Jones Sr. are both returning, and so is third-string running back Zavier Scott.Losing Jalen Nailor is going to sting unless the Vikings end up signing a WR3 in free agency or they draft a guy who can contribute right away as a rookie. There's a chance that Tai Felton, a third-round pick last year, makes a jump in his second season to assume the third receiver role, but without much production as a rookie, his development remains a mystery.T.J. Hockenson is returning on a restructured contract, and Josh Oliver is back as the team's top blocking tight end. You could easily argue that the tight end position can only get better with improved quarterback play and Hockenson being two full years removed from the catastrophic ACL injury he suffered on Dec. 24, 2024.With Ryan Kelly retiring, the Vikings haven't addressed the starting center position. Free agency has pretty much dried up, and the odds of Minnesota finding a Day 1 starter in the draft aren't all that high. That means Blake Brandel is currently penciled in as the starting center. It could work out, but a healthy Kelly would've been better. The good news is that tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill will be further removed from injuries that ailed them last season, and Donovan Jackson could be a beast in his second season at left guard. Overall, this unit will surely be better if they stay healthy and Darrisaw returns to his pre-ACL injury form.After cutting Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, the Vikings haven't done anything to replace those big bodies on the interior of the defensive line. The draft is where they'll likely add talent, but right now, the top two linemen are Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins.Unless Minnesota ends up trading Jonathan Greenard, they'll bring back him, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner. It's a formidable group when they're all healthy, which wasn't the case with Greenard and Van Ginkel last season.After re-signing Eric Wilson, this unit looks to remain the same, with Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace Jr. also back in the mix in 2026.The top two corners, Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers, are set to return, but the big upgrade could be a sneaky one with the free agent signing of former Steelers cornerback Jamies Pierre. Our Will Ragatz, noting that his 86.8 PFF grade was second among the 112 cornerbacks who played at least 300 snaps in 2025.It's worse if Harrison Smith truly does hang up his cleats. But if Smith decides to run it back one last time, things will look the same in 2026 as he'd be lined up next to Josh Metellus, with Jay Ward and Theo Jackson serving as reliable backups.Ryan Wright was one of the best punters in the NFL last season, and he signed with the Saints. Minnesota replaced him with one of the best punters of the last two decades, but does Johnny Hekker have enough in the tank to be as good as Wright was in 2025? Meanwhile, Will Reichard returns as the place kicker, and Myles Price is back as the top return man. We can see Price being more reliable in his second season, and his production could swing games as long as the Vikings cut down on the penalties that plagued them in the return game last season.Joe Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in Minnesota sports journalism. Nelson began his career in sports radio, working at smaller stations in Marshall and St. Cloud before moving to the highly-rated KFAN-FM 100.3 in the Twin Cities. While there, he produced the popular mid-morning show hosted by Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen. His time in radio laid the groundwork for his transition to sports writing in 2011. He covers the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins for On SI.Vikings Bring Back Carson Wentz, Completing 2026 Quarterback Room Vikings vs. Giants Best NFL Prop Bets and Anytime Touchdown Scorer Picks for NFL Week 16 Vikings vs. Giants Prediction, Odds, Spread, Injuries, Trends for NFL Week 16
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