Minnesota Vikings outdoors linebacker Dallas Turner celebrates after a sack, with 2025 marking his second NFL season and the yr he completed with 8 sacks for Brian Flores’ protection. Turner’s response captures the burst and confidence that helped him develop into a bigger function for Minnesota throughout his early-career climb inside a surging cross rush. Necessary Credit score: YouTube.
Sure, the countdown is round 10 weeks till Minnesota Vikings common season soccer, and sure, we’ve 10 issues so that you can know earlier than that September thirteenth sport at residence in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers.
To set the desk, sportsbooks anticipate the Vikings to win simply eight or 9 video games this yr, so in the event that they plan to achieve the playoffs — and possibly even win a sport within the match — they have to beat the percentages, as they did in 2024.
Kyler Murray’s Low cost Deal Takes the Cake for Vikings Offseason
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray participates in organized workforce actions on the TCO Efficiency Heart in Eagan on Could 27, 2026. Murray labored by offseason drills whereas Minnesota put in its offense and evaluated personnel, constructing chemistry throughout the quarterback room and receiving corps throughout a busy spring session earlier than coaching camp later that summer time. Necessary Credit score: YouTube.
1. The Cardinals Are Paying Kyler Murray to Play for the Vikings
The Cardinals are shouldering most of Murray’s wage whereas he performs for the Vikings. Minnesota is just accountable for the veteran minimal of $1.3 million, a fraction of the $36.8 million Arizona stays obligated to pay underneath Murray’s earlier contract.
The weird monetary association permits the Vikings to amass a former prime draft choose for the price of a backup or a participant competing for a beginning function, whereas the Cardinals bear the substantial monetary burden. It stays to be seen if Murray can revitalize his profession in Minnesota, however from a monetary perspective, it’s an exceptionally favorable deal for the Vikings. It could be the very best deal in skilled sports activities proper now.
2. Half of All Vikings Starters Are Scheduled to Hit 2027 Free Company
Vikings soccer might look an entire lot completely different in 2027. These males are scheduled to check the open market subsequent offseason:
Blake Brandel (OL)
Blake Cashman (LB)
Andrew DePaola (LS)
T.J. Hockenson (TE)
Theo Jackson (S)
Aaron Jones (RB)
Jauan Jennings (WR)
Jordan Mason (RB)
Kyler Murray (QB)
Brian O’Neill (OT)
Ivan Tempo Jr. (LB)
Isaiah Rodgers (CB)
Ryan Van Demark (OT)
Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB)
Jay Ward (S)
Carson Wentz (QB)
3. The New Basic Supervisor Is Tight-Lipped
Minnesota employed Nolan Teasley on the finish of Could, and at his introductory press convention, reporters requested him in-depth questions. He replied with quick, diplomatic solutions.
His predecessor, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, typically divulged the workforce’s roster building course of. These days are over. Teasley won’t ever say an excessive amount of.
4. Vikings Have Finest WR1-WR2-WR3 Setup since Moss-Carter-Reed
By no means, form, or kind are Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings higher than Randy Moss, Cris Carter, and Jake Reed. However they’re the very best threesome since Moss-Carter-Reed. The Vikings lastly emphasised the WR3 spot this offseason. The times of Bisi Johnson, Ok.J. Osborn, and Jalen Nailor — respectable at finest — third extensive receivers are paused.
5. Brian Flores Will See the Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa — in Separate Video games
In Week 4, Flores will face his former employer, the Miami Dolphins. That franchise unceremoniously fired him 5 years in the past, setting in movement an ongoing lawsuit in opposition to the league. Flores can get redemption on the sector in opposition to Miami at U.S. Financial institution Stadium on October 4th.
Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores talks with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throughout a second-half timeout in opposition to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sep 12, 2021. Flores communicated together with his younger passer in Foxborough as Miami labored by a decent AFC East highway matchup in opposition to his former group. Necessary Credit score: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Eight weeks later, the Vikings face the Atlanta Falcons, a workforce that could possibly be led by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who known as Flores a “terrible person” in the summertime of 2024.
A double dose of Flores revenge.
6. No Western U.S. Video games
The westernmost factors on Minnesota’s 2026 schedule are Mexico Metropolis and Minneapolis, imagine it or not. When you reside Vikings video games in California, Colorado, and Arizona, you might be out of luck this yr — until the Vikings attain the playoffs.
7. Keep in mind the Alternate Yr Concept
A short historical past of the Vikings’ efficiency over the past dozen years:
2014 Vikings: Average2015 Vikings: Good2016 Vikings: Average2017 Vikings: Good2018 Vikings: Average2019 Vikings: Good2020 Vikings: Average2021 Vikings: Average2022 Vikings: Good2023 Vikings: Average2024 Vikings: Good2025 Vikings: Common
It’s time for one more playoff journey, by the numbers.
8. EDGE Depth Is Completely different This Time
In years previous, the Vikings would roll into September with Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner. Or, earlier than that, Danielle Hunter, Za’Darius Smith, and D.J. Wonnum. After the Greenard commerce to the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota now not has a go-to OLB3, until rookie Jake Golday or second-year DT Tyrion Ingram Dawkins are prepared for the job.
The OLB setup on paper earlier than coaching camp now appears like this:
Andrew Van Ginkel
Dallas Turner
Bo Richter
Maybe the Vikings will signal a free agent like Jadeveon Clowney and present they imply enterprise.
9. For Now, There’s No Harrison Smith, C.J. Ham, or Adam Thielen
Ham and Thielen retired — like expressly. Smith merely hasn’t returned. Irrespective of the way you cube it, the Vikings received’t really feel the identical. The beloved veterans are gone.
Minnesota Vikings free security Harrison Smith (22) speaks at a press convention at Sport Eire Campus in Dublin, Eire, on Sep 26, 2025. Smith dealt with media duties earlier than Minnesota’s worldwide matchup, providing a veteran presence throughout the Vikings’ abroad journey because the workforce ready for its Week 4 sport in opposition to Pittsburgh. Necessary Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Photos.
Smith might return for yet one more hurrah to ease the ache, however you recognize, he truly has to do this in some unspecified time in the future.
10. No Longer an Outdated Workforce
Minnesota booted Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave off the roster. Ham and Thielen walked away. Smith’s future is up within the air.
In a single offseason, Minnesota went from an outdated soccer workforce to a younger one:
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
