The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers will do battle in Week 1 at U.S. Bank Stadium in 67 days, with storylines aplenty because — it’s Vikings-Packers. But one such scenario hasn’t been fully unearthed by the masses yet — the immediate, post-Arizona Cardinals showdown between Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray and Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.

The two worked together for three seasons in Arizona. Their shared first order of business outside the desert? Dueling in the NFC North.

Gannon’s Defense Adds Personal Stakes to the Opener

Schedule-Makers Plop Murray v. Gannon Out of the Gate

The Vikings could’ve played any team in Week 1, but for the 2026 squad, the NFL chose Green Bay. The folks who made the schedule probably didn’t care much about Murray versus Gannon, but it’s happening anyway.

Arizona hired Gannon during the 2023 offseason, a year after the franchise extended Murray’s contract, the deal that included the infamous “study hall” clause before it was removed. Murray was viewed as the franchise quarterback, and with a fresh new set of eyes and ideas, Gannon took over.

The Cardinals went 15-36 in those three seasons, compiling a .294 win percentage and ranking 27th in the NFL. The experiment didn’t work, and the pair lost their jobs this offseason. Freshly removed from Arizona, they’ll dance on opposite sidelines at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Gannon’s Defense

Gannon inherits the league’s 19th-best defense per DVOA from last year. The Packers reached the postseason — lost to the Chicago Bears in a wild game — and did so with a mediocre defense that has seen better days. The club also lost superstar Micah Parsons along the way to a torn ACL.

Led by Gannon, Green Bay will face Minnesota with these notable players on defense:

• Javon Bullard (S)
• Edgerrin Cooper (LB)
• Zaire Franklin (LB)
• Javon Hargrave (DI)
• Isaiah McDuffie (LB)
• Xavier McKinney (S)
• Keisean Nixon (CB)
• Benjamin St-Juste (CB)
• Lukas Van Ness (EDGE)
• Evan Williams (S)

It’s also worth noting that Hargrave, a defensive tackle, played for the Vikings last year but was cast aside this offseason before Minnesota drafted Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport on the Packers’ defense: “After trading Rashan Gary to Dallas, who will step up on the edge opposite Parsons? How will the move from Quay Walker to Zaire Franklin affect the linebackers? How will veteran Benjamin St. Juste and rookie Brandon Cisse fit into the Green Bay secondary?”

“The Packers have the personnel on the defensive side of the ball to field a solid unit in 2026. They are going to need to, because the NFC North has the makings of the most tightly packed division in the NFL.”

Murray’s Offense

How about Murray’s offensive tools against Gannon’s defense? He’s got ’em. Murray hasn’t quite had game action with the following group, but that story will start in living color on September 13 against this former coach.

Here’s who will notably surround Murray in Minnesota’s offense:

• Jordan Addison (WR)
• Christian Darrisaw (T)
• T.J. Hockenson (TE)
• Justin Jefferson (WR)
• Jauan Jennings (WR)
• Aaron Jones (RB)
• Donovan Jackson (LG)
• Jordan Mason (RB)
• Brian O’Neill (RT)

Murray will also have Kevin O’Connell whispering in his ear, a man known for top-tier veteran quarterback tutelage.

Our Steve Hoikkala recently noted on Jackson, a rookie lineman from last year: “Jackson was stellar in his performance last season as a rookie allowing just 2 sacks in 14 games in 2025, and looks to be the long-term starter he was brought here to be.”

“His physicality and consistency to the interior offensive line are just as important as the stability in his youth for Minnesota to build around. Jackson should be the starting left guard for years to come.”

Packers-Themed Media’s Take

LombardiAve.com‘s Luke Norris wrote about the situation in March, “Jonathan Gannon will now face Kyler Murray, who he benched in 2025, twice in 2026.

“Any new wrinkle to the Packers-Vikings rivalry is always fun, but this one comes with a second storyline outside of just Murray himself, as the man who served as his head coach for the last three years and basically benched him this past season will now stand on the sideline opposite him on two occasions in 2026, that man, of course, being new Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.”

The Packers are already favored to chip off the Vikings by a point or two.

Norris added, “There still appears to be plenty of respect between Gannon and Murray, but that doesn’t mean these upcoming Packers-Vikings matchups won’t have a little more intrigue to them.”

“Perhaps Gannon isn’t thrilled that his first regular QB1 as a head coach couldn’t stay healthy (or at least healthy enough), and perhaps Murray wants to stick it to the head coach who benched him.”

The NFL regular season is exactly nine weeks away.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Among the Minnesota Vikings’ fan base, hopes are high for 2026, mainly because the club acquired Kyler Murray in March and finished last season with a winning record despite mostly miserable quarterback play.

But ESPN does not share that optimism, nominating Minnesota’s roster as the 11th-worst in the NFL heading into training camp. If Minnesota makes something of the season, it will do so without the sign-off of ESPN.

ESPN’s Low View Adds Pressure ahead of 2026

ESPN: Vikings’ Roster Ranks No. 22 in Power Rankings

Mike Clay of ESPN dropped the No. 22 ranking for the Vikings, noting that the running backs — Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Demond Claiborne, and Zavier Scott — were the team’s foremost weakness.

On the other hand, he noted the chief strength: “Biggest strength: Pass catchers. Receivers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and newcomer Jauan Jennings and tight end T.J. Hockenson form a terrific group of targets for whoever wins the QB job.”

“Even in a down season (no fault of his own), Jefferson delivered his sixth consecutive season with 1,000-plus receiving yards in 2025 and remains arguably the league’s best wide receiver. Addison produced 875-plus receiving yards and nine-plus TDs in his first two seasons before the QB woes of 2025.”

Pound for pound, Clay is probably correct about the pass-catchers as the team’s main calling card, though the defense is statistically fantastic too.

“Jennings broke out in 2024 with the 49ers and has a 132-1,618-15 receiving line over the past two seasons. Hockenson’s stats have been down the past two seasons, but the 29-year-old remains one of the league’s best two-way tight ends,” Clay concluded.

The Teams Ahead of MIN

Three teams questionably checked in ahead of Minnesota:

• Indianapolis Colts
• Washington Commanders
• Pittsburgh Steelers

The Colts are all-in to win a Super Bowl with Daniel Jones, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, an injury that goes either way in terms of recovery. The Commanders fired up a down year after an unexpected sprint to the NFC Championship in 2024. And the Steelers will roll with Aaron Rodgers again, this time led by his old pal, head coach Mike McCarthy.

Placing any of those squads ahead of Minnesota per roster talent is certainly debateable.

Very Little Faith in the QB

How did the Vikings fetch the 22nd roster ranking in football? It’s pretty evident: outside of Minneapolis, the masses don’t trust the quarterback(s). Murray’s reputation is at a career crater. That’s the cost of doing business when the Arizona Cardinals, of all organizations, run you out of town. Put plainly, the world believes that Murray is mid.

His quarterback running mate this summer, J.J. McCarthy, is mostly known for memes, and somehow, that matters in the court of public opinion. McCarthy produced an up-and-down season in his first as a starter, and that’s when he wasn’t missing seven games due to a flurry of injuries.

Most NFL analysis starts with the quarterback, and for a team like the Vikings to rank 22nd, it means that ESPN doesn’t really trust Murray or McCarthy to be dependable.

The Super Bowl Odds

How about Vegas? Do sportsbooks agree with the 22nd assessment? For the most part.

The Vikings’ Super Bowl odds in early July are 18th-best in the sport. Here’s the full list for curious minds:

• Los Angeles Rams: +500
• Buffalo Bills: +1000
• Baltimore Ravens: +1100
• Seattle Seahawks: +1200
• Los Angeles Chargers: +1600
• Kansas City Chiefs: +1600
• Detroit Lions: +1700
• New England Patriots: +1700
• San Francisco 49ers: +1700
• Philadelphia Eagles: +1800
• Houston Texans: +1900
• Cincinnati Bengals: +2000
• Denver Broncos: +2000
• Green Bay Packers: +2200
• Dallas Cowboys: +2200
• Chicago Bears: +2700
• Jacksonville Jaguars: +2700
• Indianapolis Colts: +4500
• Minnesota Vikings: +4500
• Washington Commanders: +5000
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +6000
• Pittsburgh Steelers: +7000
• New York Giants: +7000
• Atlanta Falcons: +7500
• Carolina Panthers: +8000
• New Orleans Saints: +8000
• Tennessee Titans: +12500
• Las Vegas Raiders: +12500
• Cleveland Browns: +35000
• New York Jets: +40000
• Miami Dolphins: +60000
• Arizona Cardinals: +100000

Oddsmakers pretty much plop the Vikings in the same boat as the Colts at +4500. That’s akin to reaching into a shuffled deck and pulling one specific card — like the Ace of Spades — on the first try.

NFL Spin Zone‘s Sayre Bedinger ranked Minnesota at — you guessed it — No. 22 in his recent power rankings: “The Vikings are going to be relying on defensive coordinator Brian Flores and his scheme more than ever before.”

“Even with the possibility of a breakout from Dallas Turner, this team has young players replacing the likes of Jonathan Greenard, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Harrison Smith. Those are huge losses. Factoring in the quarterback position coming down to Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy, this is going to be maybe the biggest “test” year for O’Connell and his staff.”

The Vikings haven’t won a playoff game in 2,376 days.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Every NFL team has players who don’t quite match the value of their contracts, and based on current depth chart construction, the 2026 Minnesota Vikings are not excluded.

The club begins the regular season in about nine weeks, and unless the following players lower their cap hits, they reasonably fit in an “overpaid” bucket. The players are listed ascendingly (No. 1 = most overpaid Viking).

Vikings’ Cap Sheet Reveals a Few Expensive Questions

4. Josh Oliver | TE2

2026 Cap Hit: $9.9 Million

Oliver is a blocking tight end, which is fantastic. It’s also a bit ironic because coming out of college (San Jose State) in 2019, that was supposed to be his problem. The scouting report said the guy could batch, but his run blocking stank.

Well, Oliver flipped the script, probably after the Baltimore Ravens‘ coaching staff got a hold of him.

The issue with a blocking tight end? They’re not worth $10 million. Teams can find sufficient versions for half the price or even less. The Vikings shouldn’t cut Oliver or devalue him on the depth chart, but the fact remains that $9.9 million is expensive.

Thankfully, Oliver has some redzone utility. He’s dependable when quarterbacks target him.

3. Aaron Jones | RB

2026 Cap Hit: $10.2 Million

You can write this in ink: 2026 will be Jones’s final season in Minnesota. He’ll turn 32 in December, and his career, for better or worse, is winding down. When the offseason began, most Vikings fans and analysts theorized Jones as a roster-cut candidate, and they didn’t do that on a whim. He’s effective in spots, especially early in the regular season, yet injuries habitually take their toll on Jones. That’s his jam.

The Vikings proposed a paycut for Jones in March. He accepted. He’s back in the saddle as RB1 or RB2 because of his pass-blocking and locker room leadership. It’s just quite obvious that his prime is well in the past.

Minnesota also refused to sign a free-agent running back like Travis Etienne or draft a mid-round rookie like Mike Washington. It’s Jones again — and probably for the last time.

He averaged 4.2 yards per carry, played 12 games, and banked 548 rushing yards last year. His career has been fantastic, and the guy is an awesome dude. Still, he’s not worth $10.2 million unless he forges a totally unforeseen and healthy late-career resurgence.

2. T.J. Hockenson | TE

2026 Cap Hit: $15.6 Million

Of all men on this overpaid list, Hockenson might have the clearest path to a resurrection. He blew out his knee in the 2023 season, thanks to a low hit by Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph, and, due to the shift in the Vikings’ offense — using Hockenson as the sixth offensive lineman — he’s never regained his form.

Hockenson signed a monster extension during the summer of 2023. Four months later, the injury occurred, rendering the contract not worth the squeeze. If a team pays a tight end over $15 million, it must target him heavily in the passing game. The Vikings don’t do that anymore. Hockenson’s success in the Twin Cities feels like a Kirk Cousins special in hindsight.

Here’s the silver lining, though: new Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray has cooked with tight ends. Ask Trey McBride, who most consider the best or second-best tight end in the sport. If Murray could unlock McBride, he should be able to get Hockenson back up to speed.

If not, 2026 will likely be Hockenson’s final season in Minnesota. There’s a reason so many fans thought the franchise might draft Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq in April.

1. Will Fries | RG

2026 Cap Hit: $17.2 Million

Was Fries terrible in 2025? Absolutely not. Was Fries worth $17.2 million in 2025? Absolutely not.

The guy posted a Pro Football Focus grade just over 60.0, which would’ve been remarkable during the Mike Zimmer era of Vikings football when guards like Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia graced your television sets. But that was then, and this is now.

Former Vikings boss Kwesi Adofo-Mensah paid Fries handsomely last season, and based on his 2025 output, he should be earning about $6 million annually — not $17 million.

Perhaps Fries will settle in the Vikings offense with another year of experience. If he does not, you are about seven months from Googling or putting Fries’ dead cap hit into ChatGPT. Always remember: Adofo-Mensah handed Fries the fact contract based on five good games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024. He has no verifiable history of consistency.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker