The Minnesota Vikings are coming off a bittersweet 14-win season that ended in a disappointing Wild Card loss. Despite the success, it was clear changes were imminent—particularly in the trenches and at quarterback. The front office wasn’t afraid to be aggressive this offseason. With overhauling the interior offensive line and officially ushering in a new era with rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy at the helm.
Quarterbacks
The Vikings used the 10th overall pick on Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and many analysts believed he landed in the best possible situation for a rookie, with offensive-minded head coach Kevin O’Connell and quarterback guru Josh McCown guiding his development.
Unfortunately, McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first preseason game against the Raiders. In his absence, former third-overall pick Sam Darnold enjoyed a surprising career resurgence, leading the team to 14 wins. But Minnesota let Darnold walk in free agency, signaling full commitment to McCarthy.
Rather than bringing in a veteran mentor like Joe Flacco or Ryan Tannehill, the Vikings traded for Sam Howell—a young passer who showed flashes in Washington despite a struggling team. With O’Connell and McCown’s experience in the quarterback room, the Vikings feel confident heading into 2025. While another 14-win season may be ambitious, this could finally be the year Minnesota sees the emergence of its franchise quarterback.
Running Backs
The Vikings’ run game needed an overhaul after finishing near the bottom of the league in rushing touchdowns (4th worst in 2024). To start, they poached Aaron Jones from the rival Packers in free agency. Jones responded with a career-high 1,138 rushing yards, but the ground game still ranked just 19th overall.
Looking to bolster short-yardage situations, Minnesota traded a 6th-round pick for physical 49ers back Jordan Mason, who ranked 10th in the NFL in yards after contact (3.35). His bruising style complements Jones’ burst and vision, giving Minnesota a much-needed 1–2 punch.
Wide Receivers
Justin Jefferson remains one of the NFL’s elite receivers—arguably top 2. Paired with 2022 first-rounder Jordan Addison, one of the more underrated receivers in football, the Vikings boast one of the league’s most dangerous duos.
The question was WR3—and in 2024, Jalen Nailor stepped up. After battling injuries early in his career, the former 6th-rounder posted 414 yards and 6 touchdowns. Entering a contract year, Nailor now faces competition from newly acquired speedster Rondale Moore and 2025 fourth-round pick Tai Felton. Both excel after the catch and could shine in O’Connell’s offense.
If Nailor builds on last season and either Moore or Felton hits, this Vikings group could go from being one of the league’s best duos to the best overall receiver group in the NFL.
Tight Ends
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made a bold statement early in his tenure by acquiring Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson in a rare intra-division trade with the Lions. Hockenson instantly fit in, including a standout 129-yard playoff game in his first season.
In 2024, he was on pace for his first 1,000-yard season—stepping up big while Jefferson was out—but a devastating ACL and MCL tear in Week 16 sidelined him. After missing the first seven games of 2025, he returned looking less explosive, but at only 27 years old, another full offseason could get him back to form.
Josh Oliver, one of the league’s best blocking tight ends, also had a career year in 2024 with consistent yardage and scoring. The third tight end spot is crucial, given the Vikings’ heavy use of 23 personnel (second-most in the NFL last season). That role will be battled out among rookies Gavin Bartholomew, Bryson Nesbit, and Ben Yurosek.
Offensive Line
This was the major overhaul of the offseason.
The Vikings collapsed in back-to-back games late last year due to interior protection issues. To fix that, they went big: signing veteran center Ryan Kelly, a four-time Pro Bowler, and teammate Will Fries, while drafting Donovan Jackson in the first round out of Ohio State.
These new additions join what was already one of the NFL’s best tackle tandems in Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw. The only concern is health—both Darrisaw and Fries are coming off season-ending injuries. But with everyone healthy, this unit could be a top-5 offensive line in football, solving a problem that has plagued the Vikings for years.
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