Minnesota Vikings followers react through the fourth quarter of the NFC Wild Card matchup towards the New York Giants at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. The emotional scene mirrored the stress of Minnesota’s playoff battle as supporters lived each snap from the stands. Jan. 15, 2023. Necessary Credit score: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports activities.
The Minnesota Vikings could not have signed as many gamers this offseason in comparison with 2024 and 2025, however that doesn’t imply the previous couple of months have been boring. The truth is, the Vikings’ offseason has been filled with surprises.
Right here’s a take a look at these, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most stunning twist).
Vikings’ Wildest Strikes Began at QB and GM
San Francisco 49ers vast receiver Jauan Jennings (15) takes a postgame selfie after going through the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 22, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The veteran cross catcher captured the second following the ultimate whistle after one other late-season matchup as San Francisco wrapped up its evening on the highway. Necessary Credit score: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Pictures.
5. Jauan Jennings Needed “WR2 Money” — Indicators with Vikings on $8M Base Wage
In Could, SI.com‘s Albert Breer wrote, “49ers WR Jauan Jennings is a good example of that, looking for No. 2 receiver money. Chargers G Mekhi Becton might be another one, who simply thought he had more value than the rest of the league did. Browns TE David Njoku is a little older, but I’d say he’s in this group, too.”
WR2 cash can imply $25 million. When Breer’s announcement arrived, it felt like there was simply no method that Minnesota may get Jennings. Quick-forward a few days, and Breer’s reporting was evidently off base only a bit. Jennings’s base wage in Minnesota is $8 million, expandable to $13 million.
And identical to that — the Vikings secured their greatest WR3 on paper since Jake Reed 25 years in the past.
4. No Official GM for Free Company or Draft
Minnesota made a front-office change in late January and arguably had a few weeks to fill the vacant basic supervisor function. As an alternative, they tapped Rob Brzezinski on the shoulder — the “money guy” — took take the job, and he stated positive.
Brzezinski, with assist from Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores, guided Minnesota via a complete free-agency interval and the draft sans an official basic supervisor. The state of affairs was practically unprecedented in Vikings historical past aside from the “Triangle of Authority” period with Rick Spielman, the Wilfs, and Brad Childress.
3. Cardinals Drop Kyler Murray, and It Was Simply Automated That He’d Signed in MIN
Murray grew up as a Vikings fan. Like a real one. He claims to have cried when Minnesota misplaced the 2009 NFC Championship.
So when the Arizona Cardinals kicked him off their roster, he had loads of choices on the open market. But, after a spherical of Zoom calls, it was only a no-brainer that he would signal with the Vikings. Followers didn’t even should sweat it. Murray was launched, he touched base with a couple of groups by way of videoconference, and landed in Minnesota immediately.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) scans the sector towards the Washington Commanders on Sep. 29, 2024, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on their dwelling area. The veteran signal-caller directed Arizona’s offense throughout an early-season matchup whereas the Cardinals continued trying to find rhythm and id below a creating offensive construction. Necessary Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Pictures.
On the very begin of the offseason, it appeared like Minnesota may need to commerce for Murray. Why would the Cardinals eliminate him for nothing? Nope — they minimize him, and he seamlessly signed with the Vikings. No suspense, solely formality.
2. Vikings Draft DT Caleb Banks — a Man with 2nd-Spherical Draft Inventory and a Dangerous Foot
The Miami Dolphins and the Vikings are the worst drafting groups over the previous couple of years. Absolutely, Minnesota would draft a protected prospect in Spherical 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, appropriate? Incorrect. The Vikings drafted the monster defensive sort out from Florida, who got here with two severe foot accidents within the earlier seven months.
The franchise that desperately wanted to attach on a draft choose, two, three, or ten, took a threat on a person with 2nd-Spherical draft inventory and back-to-back foot accidents. To be honest, Banks was a 1st-Spherical expertise in January and early February, however he broke his foot on the NFL Mix.
The Vikings didn’t play it protected; they swung for the fences with Banks. He’s increase or bust.
Zone Protection‘s Nelson Thielen on Banks final month: “Did it feel crazy on draft night, especially if you were someone who’d presumed Dillon Thieneman as Minnesota’s pick for four months? Absolutely. It felt like a bad value you could’ve gotten later, a massive injury risk, and a strange fit for the Vikings’ defensive needs.”
“But if that’s not the case? If the injury risk is not nearly as severe, and the Vikings clearly define his role in a way that allows him to thrive, we could look back on it with far more fondness in time.”
1. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Fired 3.5 Weeks after the Common Season
The truth that Adofo-Mensah would lose his job was not stunning: he crafted 4 principally dangerous draft lessons and bungled the Sam Darnold state of affairs. This text doesn’t counsel that his termination was unwarranted.
However the time was mind-bogglingly unusual.
Minnesota Vikings basic supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah watches from the sideline through the NFL Worldwide Sequence on Sep. 28, 2025, at Croke Park in Dublin, Eire. The franchise government monitored participant efficiency and roster depth as Minnesota competed overseas whereas balancing front-office analysis work and regular-season roster planning all through the abroad matchup. Necessary Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Pictures.
Minnesota may’ve fired Adofo-Mensah on the Monday after the common season and carried out a full substitute search alongside different GM-needy groups in mid-January. Relatively, the Vikings waited till the tip of January, permitting the aforementioned Brzezinski to run the present for 4 months.
Every part may work out simply wonderful, however the timing of Adofo-Mensah’s firing was actually beautiful.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
