Post-Super Bowl NFL Power Rankings: Where Do Vikings Stand?

With the 2019-20 NFL season wrapped up, where do the Vikings stand heading into a critical offseason?

The 2019-20 NFL season is officially in the rear-view mirror. On Sunday evening, the Chiefs scored 21 unanswered points against the 49ers to rally from a 20-10 deficit and win Super Bowl LIV. Now, as Kansas City celebrates, everything is reset once again.

The focus has shifted to the fall of 2020, when next season will get underway. But before we get to that point, there is still an entire offseason – featuring the draft, free agency, and trades – that will shape much of what happens in the fall. A lot will change over the next six months leading into training camp.

Here's where the Vikings stand in the immediate post-Super Bowl power rankings.

SI MMQB: No. 8

The Vikings had a rollercoaster season, but it ended with more ups than downs and a great playoff win in New Orleans. Still, the 49ers game was a disappointing follow-up.

ESPN: No. 9

Reason for optimism: Gary Kubiak. The Vikings handed offensive coordinator duties to Kubiak upon Kevin Stefanski's departure, and it makes sense that the coach whose system Minnesota ran this past season is calling plays. Head coach Mike Zimmer said he wanted to prioritize continuity on offense, and maintaining that should be a fairly seamless process given that the players won't have to learn a brand-new scheme despite being on their fifth OC in five seasons. Kubiak has been able to get a lot out of his quarterbacks and running backs through the years, which bodes well for Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook.

Sporting News: No. 9

The Vikings will once again have the foundation of Dalvin Cook and zone-blocking running game under Gary Kubiak and the sound front seven under Mike Zimmer to offset losing both coordinators. But while Kirk Cousins just had a breakthrough season, the defense keeps trending toward a rebuild.

Baltimore Sun: No. 10

Three starters in Minnesota’s secondary are set to hit free agency this offseason, and the Vikings’ unenviable salary cap situation leaves them with little flexibility. Injuries slowed the offense at times, but running back Dalvin Cook and wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen are big-time weapons for quarterback Kirk Cousins. Minnesota’s offensive line play in 2019 was improved, but a playoff no-show exposed serious holes.

USA Today Touchdown Wire: No. 11

The Vikings did what many thought was impossible. They went into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and beat the Saints in the wild-card round. Minnesota wasn’t able to beat San Francisco in the divisional round, but the season was an overall success. After a rocky start by quarterback Kirk Cousins, he found his game and got the offense clicking. The Vikings should be strong again next season, but the loss of offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski to Cleveland could create uncertainty on that side of the ball.

NFL.com: No. 11

The Vikings' offense ended its season on a horrible note, producing just seven first downs in a lopsided loss to the eventual NFC champion 49ers. Though the unit battled to be consistent -- the offense laid another hideous egg in a Week 16 matchup against the Packers -- Minnesota's attack was strong overall, and Mike Zimmer made a smart move by sliding Gary Kubiak, who served as an assistant head coach and offensive advisor in 2019, into the offensive coordinator role vacated by Kevin Stefanski. Kubiak is one of the best veteran minds in the game, and his well-known scheme, one that relies heavily on play action, should be a perfect fit for Kirk Cousins and Co. The Vikings are on their fifth offensive coordinator in as many years, but Zimmer told reporters last month that Kubiak will run the "same system" in 2020. The continuity is a net positive.

Bleacher Report: No. 7

The Minnesota Vikings might be the hardest team in the NFL to figure out as the offseason begins. On one hand, the Vikings are replete with talent on both sides of the ball. Kirk Cousins isn't wanting for playmakers around him in running back Dalvin Cook and wideouts Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. The defense has difference-makers at all three levels in end Danielle Hunter, "Mike" linebacker Eric Kendricks and safety Harrison Smith. But while the Vikings were able to stun the Saints in New Orleans in the Wild Card Round, the team had little success in 2019 against the big boys of the NFL. There were a pair of losses to the Green Bay Packers. A defeat at Kansas City in November. A setback in Seattle in December. And the lopsided loss to the 49ers in the divisional round. The Vikings are a good team. But to vie for a spot in Super Bowl LV, Minnesota has to get better. That's not going to be especially easy. According to Over the Cap, there isn't a team in the NFL that's in worse shape relative to the salary cap. The Vikings presently have to shave well over $10 million off the cap just to get into the black. It leaves the Vikings in a position that's equal parts enviable and frustrating. There are plenty of teams that would be overjoyed just to have a legitimate shot at a playoff berth like the Vikings do. But if 2019 was any indication, this team's chances of navigating the postseason and making it to Tampa aren't great.

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