The Draft Solved 3 Huge Mysteries for the Vikings

Kevin O’Connell observes observe drills, watching gamers carefully throughout a global session as Minnesota ready abroad, Sep. 30, 2022, at Hanbury Manor in Thundridge, United Kingdom. The top coach monitored execution and tempo all through the exercise whereas the Vikings adjusted to journey circumstances forward of their London sport. Necessary Credit score: Kirby Lee-Imagn Photographs.

Coming into the 2026 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings had some actual mysteries, particularly with no official common supervisor within the large chair after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s termination in January. However via the draft course of, Minnesota delivered solutions, because the offseason charts a course for minicamp in June.

Minnesota entered the draft with unfastened ends. Three of them now have a lot cleaner solutions.

Ranked in no specific order, these unsolved mysteries are kaput.

The Vikings Put Punctuation on Their Offseason Plan

Alas, there’s readability.

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard traces up on protection throughout an NFC Wild Card matchup in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium, with Jan. 13, 2025, in Glendale highlighting his position as a gentle move rusher making use of strain and management in a high-intensity postseason surroundings. Necessary Credit score: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Photographs

The Thriller: Would the Vikings Truly Commerce OLB Jonathan Greenard?The Decision: Sure.

Along with a negligible Seventh-Spherical decide, the Minnesota Vikings offloaded exterior linebacker Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles on the second evening of the draft, getting two Third-Spherical picks in return.

Greenard had requested a contract extension from the Vikings, and Minnesota evidently didn’t have the dough available after spending too freely throughout 2025 free company. Now, the Vikings should discover an additional exterior linebacker for insurance coverage behind Andrew Van Ginkel or Dallas Turner — or have large plans for Bo Richter or Tyler Batty.

The Vikings are clearly in win-now mode. Signing Kyler Murray suggests a roster poised for a deep postseason run. If actually rebuilding, Minnesota would have merely handed the offense to 23-year-old J.J. McCarthy, letting him mature and develop. The win-now method makes the choice relating to Greenard notably puzzling.

Tremendous Bowl contenders all the time prioritize move rushers, investing closely to amass and retain them by way of drafts, trades, and free company. But, Minnesota allowed its finest move rusher to go away fairly than commit $100 million over 4 years.

Maybe the contract calls for had been extreme, or the group prioritized monetary flexibility for different roster wants. Regardless, changing an elite EDGE rusher is exceptionally tough. So, all consideration now turns to Turner. He should instantly emerge as a game-changer, because the protection desperately requires a major risk off the sting.

It additionally makes exterior linebacker a high precedence for subsequent offseason’s draft. The Vikings can solely get better from Greenard’s departure if Turner excels and the entrance workplace shortly secures one other high-impact participant at that place — or Van Ginkel proves to be ageless.

The Thriller: How Many RBs and WRs Would Minnesota Draft?The Decision: Simply One — in Spherical 6.

The Vikings extensively scouted operating backs and broad receivers earlier than the draft: Jonah Coleman (RB, Washington), Emmett Johnson (RB, Nebraska), Ted Hurst (WR, Georgia State), and Antonio Williams (WR, Clemson), to call a handful.

Absolutely, the franchise would depart the early-to-mid rounds of the draft with one or two, proper? Incorrect.

When the draft ended, the Vikings had Demond Claiborne within the basket from Spherical 6, and he’s now the one large hope for youth within the operating again room. The Vikings additionally drafted zero broad receivers, nominating final 12 months’s rookie, Tai Felton, for WR3 obligation by default. It was the primary time in 24 years that the Vikings drafted no quarterbacks, broad receivers, or tight ends in a draft (if one assumes that Max Bredeson is a fullback).

Wake Forest operating again Demond Claiborne celebrates a landing throughout first-half motion in opposition to NC State at Carter-Finley Stadium, with Oct. 5, 2024, in Raleigh capturing a burst of scoring vitality as Claiborne powered via the protection and energized his sideline throughout an ACC matchup. Necessary Credit score: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Photographs

Many anticipated no less than two shiny new playmakers from the draft. Minnesota rolled with a Spherical 6 flyer in Claiborne, after which that was it.

Our Cole Smith on Claiborne: “Minnesota was able to land speedy running back Demond Claiborne in the sixth round. Alec Lewis of The Athletic went on 9 to Noon and told Allen that some around the NFL refer to Claiborne as ‘Diet Coke De’Von Achane/Jahmyr Gibbs,’ which almost sounds cooler than regular Achane or Gibbs.”

“The Dolphins drafted Achane in 2023, and he has run 544 times for 3,057 yards (an absurd 5.7 YPC average) and 22 touchdowns. If the Vikings can get anything close to Achane in Claiborne, they will have gotten a steal. Minnesota isn’t just trying to build a roster that can win a variety of fights in 2026 and beyond.”

If Claiborne turns into the “next Achane,” followers will probably be completely elated.

“They’re trying to change the way they call a football game. That doesn’t mean the Vikings won’t still try to get Justin Jefferson the football. Tyreek Hill caught 238 passes for 3,509 yards and 20 touchdowns with the Dolphins in 2022 and 2023,” Smith continued.

“But a true emphasis on ‘marrying the run to the pass’ may be mandatory moving forward, not just a phrase shared publicly but never put into practice.”

The Thriller: Was It Actually as Easy as Drafting Dillon Thieneman in Spherical 1? The Decision: No, that was an unfounded, media-driven idea.

VikingsTerritory understood why Thieneman was a preferred mock-draft idea for the Vikings. Minnesota might use a beginning security for the lengthy haul. What we didn’t perceive? Why each single mock draft linked Thieneman to Minnesota.

Dillon Thieneman speaks with reporters throughout media availability on the NFL Mix, with 2026 in Indianapolis marking a key pre-draft second because the defensive again mentioned his growth, preparation, and outlook whereas groups evaluated prospects forward of the upcoming draft cycle. Necessary Credit score: Clark Wade-USA TODAY NETWORK by way of Imagn Photographs

There was no intel from credible insiders or the group itself that it was “in” on Thieneman. The draft group merely thought Thieneman type of appeared like Smith, and with Smith maybe retired, they collectively mentioned to themselves, “Hey, this is a good fit — the Vikings will draft the guy who plays the same position and kinda looks like the other guy.”

That’s not a very good components for correct mock-drafting, and in the long run, Minnesota handed on Thieneman in favor of DT Caleb Banks from Florida.