Entering every offseason, VikingsTerritory declares predictions in its writings, basically outcomes it expects to unfold. Of course, not all of those come to fruition, and when the summer arrives, we find it best to hold ourselves accountable.

Here’s what we got wrong over the last several months.

Vikings’ Spring & Summer Reality Changed Several Early Assumptions

Aaron Jones or T.J. Hockenson Would Be Released as a Cap Casualty

There was steam that Minnesota would move from Jones and Hockenson because their 2026 cap hits were naughty — and we bit. Hook, line, and sinker. In fact, credible reporting suggested that Jones, in particular, was as good as gone.

Then, both men accepted paycuts. The Vikings wanted Jones and Hockenson back on their terms, and each man agreed. They likely asked their agents to assess their market value, learning that Minnesota’s pay cut outshone the potential of their next contract.

Therefore, Minnesota won’t lose veteran locker room leadership, and Jones and Hockenson will presumably test the open market in March 2027. Specifically, we believed the Vikings might cut ties with Hockenson and potentially draft Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. No cigar.

SI.com‘s Will Ragatz noted on Jones’s paycut in March, “Keeping Jones around at roughly 60 percent of his previous base salary makes some sense for the Vikings, especially with the free agent running back class being pretty picked over already.”

“The former longtime Packer should still have some juice left as part of a committee backfield. He’s no longer as explosive as he once was, but he can get what’s blocked, run a wide range of routes out of the backfield, and serve an important pass protection role on third downs after C.J. Ham’s retirement.”

A True Center Would Be Signed in Free Agency or Drafted

Foremost, back in March during free agency, we suspected Minnesota would be interested in a new center after Ryan Kelly retired. Several options were there for the taking:

• Tyler Linderbaum — BAL → LV
• Elgton Jenkins — GB → CLE
• Tyler Biadasz — WAS → LAC
• Cade Mays — CAR → DET
• Luke Fortner — NO → CAR
• Austin Schlottmann — NYG → TEN

The Vikings said, “No thanks — we’ve got Blake Brandel.” Thereafter, Minnesota had to draft a center sometime before the end of Round 4 or so, right? Nope. The “Big Four” of rookie centers wound up like this:

• Jake Slaughter → LAC
• Logan Jones → CHI
• Sam Hecht → CAR
• Connor Lew → CIN

In Round 7, Minnesota took the plunge with Cincinnati’s Gavin Gerhardt, but 7th-Rounders are truly hit and miss.

It looks like The Blake Brandel Show in 2026. We firmly believed the Vikings would land Fortner or Jones, for example.

The Vikings Would Fix the RB Position with Youth

The Vikings haven’t had a truly impactful young running back since Dalvin Cook, whose career began nine years ago. Prior to that, Minnesota enjoyed sixteen years of elite talent with Adrian Peterson and Cook. However, since 2023, the team’s running back production has been decidedly average.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell, a former quarterback, often prioritizes the passing game, particularly when the Vikings are behind. Under his leadership, the run game has lacked consistency, fueling ongoing discussions about player roles.

Enter Demond Claiborne.

Drafted in April, the rookie running back has impressed early this summer. Claiborne’s 4.37-second 40-yard dash time injects much-needed speed into a backfield that has been craving it. The key question is whether the rest of his game — vision, contact balance, pass protection, and tackle-breaking ability — will translate to the professional level.

While 6th-Round running backs can certainly succeed, Claiborne’s draft position makes it less probable that he’ll develop into a superstar RB1. A more realistic outcome is for him to become an explosive RB2.

The Vikings opted not to address the running back position in the 2025 or 2026 NFL Draft. Now, hopes are high that Claiborne will prove to be more than just a summer standout. If he doesn’t, the team will rely on Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, and fans will continue to wonder when the Vikings will invest draft capital in the position again.

The Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens Would Hire Brian Flores

Flores said during the 2025 offseason that he would only depart the Vikings for a head coaching job that felt stable with a reputable organization. Well, that’s Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Flores interviewed for both positions, but it never felt like he had momentum. Ultimately, the Steelers hired Mike McCarthy, and the Ravens rolled with Jesse Minter.

Flores’s lawsuit against the NFL is probably holding him back from being a serious head-coaching contender, as sad as that is.

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