The Most Urgent Question at Each Vikings Roster Spot

In terms of player personnel movement and change, the Minnesota Vikings are still at the very start of the offseason, with free agency about a week away and the NFL draft six weeks after that. To get you thinking about the 2026 roster, here’s a list of burning questions at each spot.

The one thing Minnesota has to answer at every position before free agency and the draft.

Without a formal general manager — Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was canned four weeks ago — this offseason is quite mysterious.

Offseason Pressure Points Stretch from the Vikings from QB to CB

Oddsmakers expect Minnesota to win eight or nine games in 2026.

Quarterback

Question:

We know the Vikings will add a veteran quarterback behind J.J. McCarthy. Will that be a player like Kyler Murray or Mac Jones, who will project to be the QB1 the moment he’s acquired? Or will the Vikings find a quarterback like Kirk Cousins or Geno Smith to create a real training camp battle for the QB1 job?

Running Back

Question:

If Aaron Jones is released to save money on the salary cap, will the Vikings roll with Jordan Mason as the bellcow RB1, sign a free agent like Travis Etienne, or draft a rookie running back before the end of Round 4 for the first time since Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison?

Wide Receiver

Question:

Does Minnesota re-sign Jalen Nailor for the WR3 job? Promote Tai Felton, a 3rd-Rounder from last year’s draft? Or sign a different veteran WR3 from free agency like Christian Kirk?

Tight End

Question:

Are the rumors about cutting T.J. Hockenson real? The team asked him to take on the role of a blocking tight end in 2025, and will now release him because his receiving production dipped. How does that work? Is it fair?

Offensive Tackle

Question:

With Christian Darrisaw’s ACL recovery status up in the air, will the Vikings re-sign Justin Skule or sign a different contingency plan? Will Darrisaw simply recover this offseason and be good to go by September?

Guard

Question:

Will Fries — will he be worth the large contract in 2026, or is he eternally mediocre?

Center

Question:

If Ryan Kelly retires or gets cut, will the Vikings sign a center like Tyler Biadasz, Cade Mays, or Lloyd Cushenberry — or use the draft to find a replacement like Connor Lew or Jake Slaughter?

Our Janik Eckardt on the center position and Biadasz’s free agency: “The Vikings hoped quarterback J.J. McCarthy and center Ryan Kelly could achieve such a relationship, but McCarthy was limited to ten games, Kelly to eight. Three separate concussions have put Kelly’s playing future in jeopardy. From a salary perspective, the Vikings could save over $8 million by moving on. Adding the reliable Biadasz on a comparable salary is realistic.”

“In 2025, Biadasz ranked the 12th-best of 37 centers on PFF, grading well in both run and pass blocking. At 28, he should have some decent football left and the Vikings can talk to him as soon as they want, as he was released. There’s no reason to wait until the legal tampering window opens next month.”

Defensive Tackle

Question:

If Javon Hargrave is out via trade or release, will the Vikings use a 1st-Round pick on a defensive tackle for the first time since Sharrif Floyd in 2013? Caleb Banks? Peter Woods? Kayden McDonald? Lee Hunter?

Outside Linebacker

Question:

The Vikings have OLB all set with Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner. Who’s the OLB4? Bo Richter? A veteran from free agency? Or a mid-to-late round rookie?

Inside Linebacker

Question:

After oddly releasing rookie Kobe King midseason and with Eric Wilson + Ivan Pace Jr. scheduled for free agency, the only playable linebacker on the roster is Blake Cashman. Will the Vikings re-sign Wilson, hoping to continue his monster 2025 campaign? Is Pace Jr. as good as gone? Will they sign a free agent like Leo Chenal?

PurplePTSD‘s Kyle Joudry noted on Chenal earlier this month, “The Vikings need some help at off-ball linebacker. Top option Blake Cashman is going to return, but he’s on the final year of his contract and soon to hit his 30th birthday. Chenal is coming out of an aggressive Chiefs defense and is still only 25. If he can gobble up tackles in run defense for medium pay, Chenal makes some sense.”

Cornerback

Question:

Last offseason, Minnesota skimped at cornerback after signing Isaiah Rodgers. It wound up with Jeff Okudah as the CB3. Will the Vikings actually prioritize CB this offseason or claim that Byron Murphy Jr. and Rodgers are good enough? The most frequent mock-drafted position for the Vikings in early March is cornerback. Can the franchise finally draft a corner with staying power?

Safety

Question:

Will Harrison Smith retire? Even if he doesn’t, is it time to draft his replacement, someone like Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman?

Special Teams

Question:

Ryan Wright had a remarkable bounceback year in 2025 after quiet seasons in 2023 and 2024. Will Minnesota re-sign him and a free-agent punter for a competition, or has Wright already done enough to win the job?