ClutchPoints
The Minnesota Vikings have been one of the most successful NFL teams in recent seasons. Their effectiveness coincides with the hiring of head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The Vikings went 13-4 in the 2022 season and won the NFC North that year, and they put together a 14-3 season last year that saw them win their first five games of the season and then reel off a nine-game winning streak later in the season.
While the Vikings lost their regular-season finale to the Detroit Lions and that defeat cost them the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, Minnesota is a complete team. They have been explosive offensively as wide receiver Justin Jefferson may be the best at his position in the NFL and No. 2 wideout Jordan Addison is quite explosive.
Meanwhile, the defense has become one of the most improved units in the NFL under defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Linebackers Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel are impact players while Jonathan Greenard has done an excellent job rushing the passer
When the Vikings’ season came to an end, there was one notable weakness and another area that needed improvement. The offensive line did not hold up its end in the loss to the Lions or the Wild Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams the following week.
As a result, Adofo-Mensah signed a pair of free agents to strengthen the front line. Center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries should both be upgrades for that unit. The Vikings struggled with their interior blocking and both Kelly and Fries should give them strength in that area.
The Vikings also needed more depth on the defensive line and they signed Jonathan Allen from the Washington Commanders and Javon Hargrave from the San Francisco 49ers. As long as these two veterans can stay healthy, Flores will have a couple of key players who can make key plays at crucial moments. Perhaps they won’t reach double digit sacks, but they will shut down the run and reduce the amount of time opposing quarterbacks have to pass.
Minnesota also made a subtle move by signing running back Jordan Mason from the 49ers. The Vikings have Aaron Jones as their No. 1 running back, but Mason can provide quite a bit of punch as the backup. This could be vital to the gameplan since untested J.J. McCarthy takes over as the starting quarterback.
The Vikings made McCarthy the No. 10 pick overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. After a decent start in the team’s minicamp and the beginning of training camp, McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in Minnesota’s first preseason game. As a result, the former Michigan quarterback was sidelined for the entire season.
Sam Darnold had been listed as the team’s starting quarterback, but most anticipated that McCarthy would overtake him at some...
