How have free agency additions impacted Vikings' NFL draft outlook?

The Vikings' impressive haul in free agency has not only made their roster significantly better, it has also set them up with the flexibility to go in a wide range of directions with their first pick in next month's NFL draft.

Think about Minnesota's needs coming into free agency (here's how I ranked them) and how many of the boxes they've checked within the last week alone.

Interior offensive line? Checked off with Will Fries and Ryan Kelly.
Interior defensive line? Welcome, Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave.
Cornerback? Byron Murphy Jr. is back and Isaiah Rodgers joins the fold.
Running back? Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason could be one of the best duos in football.
Safety? Harrison Smith is running it back for a 14th season.

The Vikings also added depth pieces and special teams contributors in Justin Skule, Tavierre Thomas, and Eric Wilson — and they have the cap space to keep going. They'll sign a veteran quarterback to pair with J.J. McCarthy at some point. Hosting Rondale Moore and Jeff Okudah on free agent visits indicates that additions at wide receiver and cornerback remain likely. They could potentially add another guard, too.

When April rolls around, the Vikings' decision-makers will be able to stick to their big board and take the best player available at a wide range of position groups. Their roster construction will still obviously play a role in the process; an early draft pick at quarterback, offensive tackle, or linebacker would be rather surprising. But instead of feeling inclined to hone in on one or two positions, there are at least four that make plenty of sense, and perhaps more.

Taking an interior offensive lineman like Tyler Booker or Grey Zabel remains a strong possibility with the Vikings' first pick. That would shore up the left guard spot and likely move Blake Brandel back into an important depth role. Zabel could potentially be the Vikings' long-term answer at center, where Kelly might be more of a stopgap.

Defensive back looms as another obvious path the Vikings could take. You can never have too many talented cornerbacks, and a safety like Malaki Starks would provide Minnesota with a succession plan if this is Smith's final season.

Even after the Allen and Hargrave additions, the Vikings could certainly take a first-round defensive tackle like Kenneth Grant or Derrick Harmon. Both Allen and Hargrave are on the other side of 30 and perhaps unlikely to be on the 2027 roster.

Then there are several positions that shouldn't be totally ruled out if the value is hard to pass up. The Vikings could take a running back, wide receiver, or even a tight end with an early pick, continuing to add to their remarkable group of weapons for McCarthy. And if the right edge rusher is there, that's another spot where you can't have too many good players.

A trade down from No. 24 still feels likely, given the Vikings' lack of picks, but it'll depend on which players are available at that spot and what kind of interest other teams have in moving up. Whenever GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah does make his first selection, it'll simply be the player the Vikings view as the best available, with all but a few position groups under consideration.

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