Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Photographs.
The 2024 Minnesota Vikings have been forecasted to win six to eight video games in 2024, a season that almost all thought-about a springboard to 2025 and past.
Vikings Offseason: The Prime 7 Priorities
As a substitute, they received 14.
Minnesota misplaced within the postseason’s first spherical, abruptly kickstarting the offseason. So, with the offseason right here, these are the purple group’s prime seven priorities, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = prime precedence)
7. Discover a Operating Again
Kirby Lee-Imagn Photographs.
That is the Vikings’ dashing effectivity per DVOA from the final three seasons, courting again to the daybreak of the O’Connell period:
2022: twenty seventh
2023: twenty seventh
2024: twentieth
Whether or not re-signing Aaron Jones, a free agent to be, or signing a brand new tailback like Javonte Williams, normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should embrace youth at operating again and choose one someplace in April’s draft.
“Running it back” with Jones alone in all probability received’t repair something, though Jones carried out fairly properly this season.
6. Exchange Harrison Smith, if Relevant
Harrison Smith gave the impression of a person getting ready to retirement after Monday’s loss. To interchange him if he rides off into the sundown, Minnesota has these choices:
Promote a participant from inside, like Jay Ward or Theo Jackson
Signal a free agent, akin to Jevon Holland
Draft Smith’s substitute in April
These are the stakes.
5. Exchange Brian Flores, if Relevant
Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores addressed the media from the TCO Efficiency Middle on July twenty fifth, 2024. Flores was employed in February 2023 to take over for Ed Donatell after Minnesota completed thirtieth in factors allowed.
Of us will discover out within the coming days or even weeks if Flores earns a head teaching job. He’s interviewed with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets.
If he leaves, Minnesota will want a substitute defensive coordinator, like an inner candidate, akin to Daronte Jones, or an exterior possibility, like Robert Saleh, Jerod Mayo, Jim Leonhard, or Brandon Staley.
4. Beef Up Inside Offensive Line
Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports activities.
The Los Angeles Rams set an NFL playoff report for sacks, knocking Sam Darnold flat 9 instances. Sure, 9. The Rams defeated the Vikings 27-9, ending a 14-3 win season for Minnesota.
Recognizing offensive line porousness teetered on Captain Apparent, however head coach Kevin O’Connell was positive to name out the trenches. “There’s no question that we got to be able to find a way to give a quarterback time. Especially with players like Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, we got to find a way to solidify the interior of the pocket, starting first and foremost,” O’Connell instructed reporters after the loss.
Inside offensive line woes have been a frequent bane of Vikings soccer for over a decade.
O’Connell added, “There can be a thousand excuses made. But, for me, it’s the foundation of the interior of the pocket that we’re going to have to take a long look at.”
So, O’Connell should stroll the stroll after speaking the speak.
3. Signal or Draft Franchise Cornerback
Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison addresses media after a Notre Dame soccer follow at Irish Athletic Middle on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, in South Bend. © MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK.
These are the Vikings’ cornerbacks on the books for 2025:
Mekhi Blackmon
Dwight McGlothern
Reddy Steward
Kahlef Hailassie
Nahshon Wright
The group wants extra beef. Minnesota should re-sign Byron Murphy and possibly add one other nook from free company — like D.J. Reed — or draft one like Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison.
2. Prolong Kevin O’Connell, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah
The 2025 season is the final on the books for O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah.
The Vikings have the league’s sixth-best win share below the duo after taking on in 2022. These extensions are seemingly on the way in which, so it’d simply be a matter of when.
1. Put together J.J. McCarthy for QB1 Job
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Sam Darnold floundered when Minnesota wanted him probably the most, lowering his probabilities of a second act within the Twin Cities.
Fortunately, the Vikings have rookie signal-caller J.J. McCarthy ready to take the large job, and after his meniscus tear final August, the highest precedence is readying McCarthy for Week 1.
Most different storylines are considerably secondary in comparison with McCarthy’s game-readiness.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his day by day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options visitors, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple group, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates again to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doorways (the band). He follows the NBA as intently because the NFL.
All statistics offered by Professional Soccer Reference / Stathead; all contractual info offered by OverTheCap.com.
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