5 Reasons Why the 2026 Vikings Feel Different Than Last Year's Team

It's time to put the 2025 season in the rearview and focus on what should be a promising campaign.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has plenty of reasons to feel optimistic about the upcoming NFL season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Watching the Vikings play last season felt like a chore for fans. Despite their 9-8 record, there was never a feeling that the 2025 version of the Purple and Gold was going to be a contender for the playoffs.

Last season punter Ryan Wright kicked the ball away 65 times. Comparing that to the Vikings' 18 passing touchdowns, 15 rushing touchdowns, and 33 field goals made, you have a team that put points on the board as many times as they punted.

Worse, the statistics above don't include Minnesota turning the ball over on downs. where the team failed a fourth-down conversion nine times. Not only that, but the Purple and Gold lost nine fumbles and led the NFL with 21 interceptions thrown.

After so much went wrong last season, here are five major ways the Vikings will feel like a different team in 2026:

1. Kyler Murray raises the floor for quarterback play.

Last season, the Vikings' quarterbacks threw 483 passes for 3,176 yards, 17 touchdowns and 21 interceptions while completing 61.5% of their passes. Minnesota's addition of a two-time Pro Bowl passer who was the 2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year should be a significant upgrade thanks to his 67.1% career completion rate and a 121-to-60 passing touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Kyler Murray's arrival instantly increases the Vikings' offensive ceiling. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even if Murray has a down year this season, he should still keep the team from Minnesota from being 27th in first downs (293) and 28th in passing first downs (157), as they were last year. The Vikings can't afford to repeat their inconsistent and ineffective offense from 2025.

2. Vikings made adjustments to the defensive line

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores had the Vikings defense cooking last year. Last year, Minnesota gave up the third-fewest yards per game (282.6) while allowing the second-fewest passing yards per game.

The team's Achilles' heel on defense was stopping the run. Minnesota gave up the 12th most rushing yards last year (2,110). The Vikings revamped their defensive line, moving on from high-priced veterans Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in favor of a pair of rookies—Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange—to eventually replace them in the trenches.

3. There is an abundance of talent on offense

This will be the most talented group of players Murray has ever had the pleasure of quarterbacking for.

Having the luxury of playing with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and Jordan Mason should help Murray be more comfortable than ever.

Despite the highly questionable quarterback play last season, Jefferson still somehow managed to surpass 1,000 receiving yards, and Minnesota still had 39 passing plays of 20 yards or more. It will be interesting to see how those numbers change in 2026.

4. Pass rush should be just as strong (if not stronger)

Last season, the Vikings swarmed opposing offenses, sacking their quarterback the fifth most in the league (49). Backup/rotational edge rusher Dallas Turner led the way with eight sacks, and returning starter Andrew Van Ginkel was narrowly behind him with seven.

Dallas Turner will play a key role in any pass-rushing success the Vikings will see this season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There was a concern about how Minnesota would replace Jonathan Greenard's production after the team traded him to the Eagles during the 2026 NFL Draft. Sliding Turner into that starting role and adding Kyle Van Noy in the backup/rotational role should keep opposing quarterbacks nervous in the pocket.

5. Vikings' infusion of youth prepares the team for the future

It is astounding that the Vikings have 10 rookies on the 53-man roster at the time of writing, with 10 more players with only a year or two of NFL experience. The Vikings' commitment to getting younger across the board is apparent, especially this season.

Exciting young players like speedy running back Demond Claiborne and aggressive cornerback Chuck Demmings will be fun to watch this season. The fun part is that 2026 is just the beginning of their story and could serve as the foundation for their franchise in the future.

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