Inside The Vikings

An updated look at the Minnesota Vikings' depth charts on offense, defense

The Vikings have loaded up their roster on both sides of the ball this offseason. Which areas do they still need to address?

Will Ragatz

Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants during the first half at MetLife Stadium.
Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants during the first half at MetLife Stadium. / John Jones-Imagn Images
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The Minnesota Vikings have had a very active offseason. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has not been afraid to dole out cash to address the major needs on his roster, many of which were glaringly obvious during the team's season-ending sequence of blowout losses against the Lions and Rams. Only the rebuilding Patriots have spent more money than the Vikings since last season ended.

Now that the dust has settled a bit after two busy weeks of free agency, it feels like a good time to take a look at where Minnesota's roster currently stands. In looking at the depth chart on both sides of the ball, we can also get a sense for which positions could still be addressed moving forward. The Vikings still have a good chunk of cap space at their disposal if they want to add veteran depth, and the NFL draft begins in exactly one month.

Offensive depth chart

The Vikings' projected offensive depth chart as of March 24.
The Vikings' projected offensive depth chart as of March 24. Players in bold have made at least one career Pro Bowl appearance. / Will Ragatz

It all hinges on McCarthy. If he's the guy the Vikings think he is, this offense is going to be electric. Over the last three seasons, Kevin O'Connell has never had an offensive line this good or quite this many weapons at the skill positions. Five starters (and Ham) have made at least one Pro Bowl, and that doesn't even include Darrisaw, who is the offense's second-best player when healthy.

The most obvious remaining need is at backup quarterback, where Minnesota needs a veteran to provide insurance behind their 22-year-old starter. It sounds like former Titans starter Ryan Tannehill is a possibility that is being discussed there. Joe Flacco could perhaps be another.

The Vikings shored up their line by adding Kelly and Fries in free agency. They'll likely still want to add competition for Brandel at left guard, whether that means bringing back Dalton Risner or drafting someone early, but there's also a chance Brandel could hold up well enough between Darrisaw and Kelly. They also signed Skule to replace David Quessenberry as their swing tackle.

Mason and Moore are a couple exciting additions to the group of weapons here. Mason should really complement Aaron Jones nicely and provide a boost to the running game, while Moore's speed will be fun for O'Connell to utilize in a variety of ways. More depth is needed at tight end and wide receiver, and the Vikings could potentially draft a running back in the later rounds.

Defensive depth chart

The Vikings' projected defensive depth chart. Players in bold have made at least one career Pro Bowl.
The Vikings' projected defensive depth chart. Players in bold have made at least one career Pro Bowl. / Will Ragatz

The Vikings' defense might be even more loaded than their offense. Six starters have made Pro Bowls, including three players (Greenard, Van Ginkel, Murphy) last year. Phillips, Cashman, and Metellus are borderline Pro Bowl-caliber guys as well. Coming off a season where the Vikings finished second in the NFL in defensive DVOA and EPA per play, Brian Flores now has even more talent to work with in 2025.

The most important area that was addressed in free agency was the interior of the defensive line, where Allen and Hargrave will provide massive upgrades if they can stay healthy. Between those two and the Vikings' two star edge rushers, this pass rush is going to be a handful. Don't forget about Turner and Redmond, either.

Wilson and Thomas were solid depth additions who will be key special teams players for the Vikings. Keeping Smith and Jackson at safety was important for a team that lost Camryn Bynum in free agency. And the additions of Rodgers and Okudah give the Vikings a couple cornerbacks in their mid-20s who should theoretically fit well in Flores' scheme. Rodgers projects as an ascending starter, while Okudah is a worthwhile flier on a former top pick who hasn't panned out.

Where could the Vikings keep adding? They could certainly use more depth at cornerback and perhaps safety. Shaq Griffin remains unsigned and would be a solid depth piece to retain. Those two positions will definitely be in the mix for an early draft pick in April. And even with Allen and Hargrave on board, you can never have too many defensive tackles, especially with those two being older and coming off injuries.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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