Ranking the Vikings' top 5 positional needs as a huge offseason begins

The Vikings have plenty of areas of weakness on their roster that need addressing before next season begins.

Nov 23, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; General view of an Minnesota Vikings helmet during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

And just like that, another offseason begins for the Minnesota Vikings. Their rollercoaster ride of a 2025 season ended on Sunday with a win that brought them to 9-8 and saw them finish just half a game back of a playoff spot. Now the work begins.

This is a roster and coaching staff that's ready to compete, so the most pressing question is how to improve at quarterback. But there are also plenty of other holes that will need to be addressed over the course of the offseason in order to set the team up for success in 2026.

Here's our take on the Vikings' top five positional needs as the offseason begins.

1. Quarterback

Everything else pales in comparison to the Vikings' decisions at the most important position in the sport. J.J. McCarthy's first year as their starter went so poorly that there's no guarantee he'll get a second one. When he was on the field, he threw more interceptions than touchdown passes and struggled mightily with accuracy and decision-making. Just as significantly, he missed seven full games due to injury and didn't finish two others.

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At the very least, the Vikings have to go out and add a starting-caliber veteran who can push McCarthy for the job or provide a high-quality backup option. But nothing is off the table, and there's a world where this regime — which doesn't have a playoff win in four seasons — pushes all of its chips in if a star QB becomes available.

2. Linebacker

After quarterback, there's a pretty steep drop-off and no glaringly obvious pick for the No. 2 spot on this list. Let's go with inside linebacker, which was a clear position of strength for the Vikings this season. Blake Cashman continues to be excellent when healthy, and Eric Wilson had an unbelievable breakout season as perhaps the defensive MVP for Brian Flores.

Wilson is now a free agent, so the solution here could be as simple as finding a way to re-sign him. Despite the strong start to his career, the Vikings probably can't rely on Ivan Pace Jr. as a starting option alongside Cashman. They drafted Kobe King in the sixth round last year, but he didn't make it through his rookie season on the roster.

3. Center

We're going to operate under the assumption that Ryan Kelly either retires or signs elsewhere next season. He suffered three concussions this year and is a logical cut candidate because of the way his contract is structured. That would leave the Vikings needing a center.

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Michael Jurgens, the starter down the stretch of this season, probably isn't the answer. Blake Brandel was pretty good as Kelly's replacement earlier in the year, but he seems to be best suited as a utility backup. Both tackles and both guards appear to be in place for Minnesota, so they just need a quality center option to complete the offensive line (and then to hope for better health from that group in 2026).

4. Safety

Another assumption is that Harrison Smith will indeed call it a career after 14 seasons with the Vikings. He hasn't fully shut the door yet on a possible return, but it appears pretty likely that he's done. If that's the case, the Vikings would go into next season with Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, and Jay Ward as their top three safeties. That's not a terrible trio, but it's far from a "set it and forget it" group.

Metellus didn't have a great season in 2025. Jackson was a bit of a disappointment after signing a contract extension in the offseason. Ward is still largely unproven as he heads into a contract year. The Vikings probably need to add a starting-caliber safety, whether via free agency or the draft.

5. Running back

There are a variety of positions that could go in this fifth spot, and it all really depends on how the early part of the offseason shakes out. You could make a case for putting defensive tackle here, since at least one of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave seems likely to be cut. The emergence of Jalen Redmond and presence of some solid young players helps there. If T.J. Hockenson isn't on the roster next year, which is a real possibility, tight end would definitely jump into the top five. Cornerback and wide receiver are sneaky areas where depth may be needed.

But for now, I'm going to go with running back. Aaron Jones is 31 years old and has dealt with some injuries, so it's no sure thing that he'll be back. Jordan Mason is a good player but maybe not a true workhorse. The Vikings could really use a difference-maker at RB, especially if McCarthy remains their quarterback in 2026.

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