Five Vikings Who Are Entering a Make-Or-Break Season in 2026

Even though the Minnesota Vikings might be a quarterback away from sporting a Super Bowl-caliber roster, there are plenty of question marks on the team and a handful of players who could be entering a make-or-break season in 2026-27.

Let's break down the current depth chart to identify players who could be asked to play significant roles despite not having earned much trust to carry them out so far.

Offense:

QB: J.J .McCarthy
RB: Aaron Jones, Sr.
RB: Jordan Mason
WR: Justin Jefferson
WR: Jordan Addison
WR: Jalen Nailor
WR: Tai Felton
WR: Myles Price
TE: T.J. Hockenson
TE: Josh Oliver
LT: Christian Darrisaw
LG: Donovan Jackson
C: Ryan Kelly
RG: Will Fries
RT: Brian O'Neill

It's still unknown if Jones will be back at running back, and he's the type of established veteran whom we're not going to put on a list like this. The same goes for Hockenson and Kelly, whose futures with the team are up in the air.

Defense:

DL: Jonathan Allen
DL: Javon Hargrave
DL: Jalen Redmond
OLB: Jonathan Greenard
OLB: Andrew Van Ginkel
OLB: Dallas Turner
ILB: Eric Wilson
ILB: Blake Cashman
ILB: Ivan Pace, Jr.
CB: Isaiah Rodgers
CB: Byron Murphy, Jr.
S: Josh Metellus
S: Theo Jackson

Allen and Hargrave didn't answer the bell the way the Vikings hoped they would when they signed them to lucrative free-agent contracts last year, but they're established vets who don't belong on a list of make-or-break players. Plus, it's unclear if one or both will be back next season.

Turner also answered questions with a strong finish this season and looks like a cornerstone player for Minnesota's defense.

The five players facing a make-or-break season

J.J. McCarthy

McCarthy, entering his age-23 season, has 10 starts to his name since being drafted 10th overall by Minnesota in 2024. Either he makes unreal strides this offseason to convince head coach Kevin O'Connell to let him start again next season, or he might've already broken and won't get a chance to prove his worth if the Vikings make a trade or sign a more trustworthy quarterback this spring.

Jordan Mason

It might be unfair to put Mason on the list after he rushed for 758 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He finished 10th in the NFL with 158 rush yards over expected, which is quite good considering the guys ahead of him include James Cook, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, Bijan Robinson, De'Von Achane, Jaylen Warren, Rhamondre Stevenson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and J.K. Dobbins. He was also sixth in the league in rush yards over expected per attempt.

What the Vikings need to see is that he can be a No. 1 without Jones in the backfield with him. Can he do for 250+ carries what he did in 159 attempts this season? If so, he'll be much more likely to make it than break in 2026-27.

Tai Felton

Six wide receivers were selected in the third round of last year's NFL Draft, and Felton was far and away the least productive. Felton also didn't give the Vikings anything as a returner, so his future is certainly uncertain entering his second season in the NFL.

Player	Rec	Yards	Avg	TD
Kyle Williams	10	209	20.9	3
Isaac TeSlaa	16	239	14.9	6
Pat Bryant	31	378	12.2	1
Jaylin Noel	26	292	11.2	2
Savion Williams	10	78	7.8	1
Tai Felton	3	25	8.3	0

Myles Price

Price is extremely explosive with the ball in his hands, but he didn't crack the wide receiver rotation after making the team as an undrafted rookie out of Indiana last season. He did provide some pop as a returner, but a couple of fumbles proved costly in the middle of the season. The 24-year-old enters his second year under a lot of pressure, because it's not a guarantee that Minnesota will keep him on the roster if he isn't able to provide any value outside of being a kick and punt returner.

Theo Jackson

The Vikings let Cam Bynum leave as a free agent because Jackson was believed to be ready for a larger role in Brian Flores' defense. He started eight of the 14 games he played and wound up with zero interceptions and only one pass defensed, according to Pro Football Reference.

He played 529 snaps, and his 68.3 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 39th among safeties who played at least 265 snaps. He didn't allow a touchdown into his coverage, although PFF says quarterbacks targeted him only 10 times all season.

With Harrison Smith likely retiring, Jackson could be thrust into a much larger role (along with Jay Ward) next season. He'll be tested, and the result will likely determine his future in Minnesota beyond the 2026-27 season.