Last week, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers, extending their winning streak to 5. Sounds very good, right? Well, not really. After finishing last season 14-3 and fighting for the NFC North title and the first seed, Minnesota finished this season 9-8 and missed the playoffs.
Minnesota’s path forward runs through three pressure points: McCarthy’s trajectory, a veteran cost-cutting decision tree, and a draft class built to refill depth fast.
While the expectation was not to win 14 games once again, many expected this team to at least make the playoffs and possibly have a shot at the division.
The Three Decisions That Will Tell All about the 2026 Vikings
While J.J. McCarthy was and still is unproven, this team brought back all key players, except Camryn Bynum. They also had a very active offseason, which included signing Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Jonathan Allen, and Javon Hargrave, and trading for Jordan Mason.
For the most part, they did not get very good contributions from their new additions. This 2025 season was a disappointment without a doubt. Yes, they ended it on a good note, but it was still disappointing nonetheless.
While McCarthy improved at the end of the season, his frequent injuries are very concerning. Will he stay healthy going forward and also keep progressing? That is a definite possibility, but if he cannot remain on the field, it will not matter very much how good he is.
Even if he had played like Tom Brady on the field, his injuries would still have been very concerning.
Some players start injury-prone in their first couple of seasons, but later stay healthy for the most part. Some, however, cannot escape the injury bug. You have to think it is a big concern for Minnesota’s front office and the organization as a whole. If he continues to get hurt in 2026 or doesn’t perform well, it would be best to move on from him.
As for the rest of the roster, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his staff have many other key decisions to make. Adding a quarterback to compete with McCarthy for the starting quarterback position will certainly not be the only decision to make this offseason.
According to Over the Cap, Minnesota is currently expected to be $46 million over the salary cap. Yes, that is a very high number, but Rob Brzezinski has continued to prove how good he is at managing the salary cap. Among those that could be released include T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, Hargrave, Allen, and Kelly. If all receive the pre-June 1 cut, Minnesota would save over $40 million.
Hockenson is due $21.355 million in 2026, but if he gets the pre-June 1 release, Minnesota would save $8.930 million. If he receives the post-June 1 designation, they would save $16 million. Could a restructure, though, be a possibility? It is, and if both sides can agree, maybe they could save even more or close to it.
While he has not been the same player since suffering a knee injury two years ago, he is still decent, and it would not be a bad idea to bring him back. He will also be 29 years old at the start of the season, so he is not old either.
Allen is due over $21 million. If he receives the pre-June 1 release, they will save over $4 million. The number would be $8.950 million if given the post-June 1 designation.
Brian O’Neill just completed his eighth season with the team. He has been one of the team’s best offensive linemen each season. He is in the final year of his contract and is due over $23 million. It would be astounding if the team does not extend him to lower the cap number for 2026.
Who could they target in free agency? Malik Willis is a free agent. He has shown he can play when given the opportunity with the Green Packers these past two years. He would be a very good addition for Minnesota. He would push McCarthy for the starting job, and even if he lost the competition, he could fill in if McCarthy had to miss a game or more. Competition makes players better, too.
Safety could very likely be another position Minnesota could target in free agency, with Harrison Smith possibly set to retire. Kamren Curl, Kyle Dugger, and Julian Blackmon are among the names set to hit the market.
Another huge question mark for this team will be the defensive coordinator position. Brian Flores very well could find a head coaching job. If that happens, who will be his replacement? Raheem Morris would be a very intriguing option. He is now available after being fired as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He and Kevin O’Connell spent the 2021 season together with the Los Angeles Rams and won the Super Bowl that year.
What will they do in the draft? Could they add a running back in the first round? Jones is likely out, and Mason is a good running back, but not starting material.
Both Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell are entering their fifth offseason with the franchise. To say this will be a big offseason for both of them is an understatement. If Minnesota misses the playoffs again in 2026 or does or does not advance in the playoffs, you have to think owners Mark and Zygi Wilf will strongly consider pulling the plug on both.
Minnesota has not reached the Super Bowl since 1976, and it has won only two playoff games since reaching the NFC Championship Game in 2009. That is very unacceptable, and you can believe the Wilfs are very frustrated by the lack of success. Fans, of course, are too, especially the ones who have been following this team for many years.
Once again, this team faces a crucial offseason. There are some reasons for optimism. They nearly won the division despite the quarterback play, and most key players will return next season.
The uncertainty at quarterback and Adofo-Mensah’s draft history, though, are big reasons for pessimism. This upcoming season will more than likely determine the futures for Adofo-Mensah, O’Connell, and McCarthy.
