The Vikings of Minnesota made great progress last year, doubling their total of victories of the 7 games that the team won during the 2023 to 14 season that they recorded in 2024. The Vikings could have been ‘team n ° 1 of the structure of the NFC qualifiers if he had beaten the Lions of Detroit in the final of the regular season, but this match turned out to be a loss disastrous.
In this match, the quarter-Arrière Sam Darnold had trouble with his precision. Much of this may have been the pressure of the moment, but the other part was an offensive line that failed to protect it. More specifically, the Vikings’ attacking lines were essentially invaded by the rush to the Pass de Detroit, and Darnold did not have the kind of time he had for the majority of the season when he led the ‘team on sequences of 5 and 9 games.
The weakness of the offensive line has become even more pronounced the following week on the road against the Rams of Los Angeles in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Darnold was on the run throughout the match, and the Rams dismissed him 9 times for 82 yards defeated.
These 2 games were not damage. When the Vikings encountered the most tough opponents while the season was at stake, their interior lines did not manage to wait.
Vikings must approach the weakness of the free agency
Managing Director Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell know that the Vikings must improve in this area. The team was a little successful in free agency a year ago when they picked up the seconds Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel with Edge Rusher Jonathan Greenard.
Vikings have a lot of living room at this stage – Almost 60 million dollars – And they can make a daring attempt to solve this number on March 12, the official start of the new year of the league.
There is no reason that this team cannot go after two of the best guards who should become free agents. Trey Smith of Kansas City Chiefs is probably the best available and Kevin Zeitler of the Lions of Detroit is not far behind.
The Vikings used Dalton Risner, Ed Ingram and Blake Brandel at the Guard Sacts last season. The Garrett Bradbury center could also be under the pistol. He seems to do the work when the Vikings play medium teams, but he struggles against the best competition.
Smith is a 25 -year -old faithful who should be exceptional in his post in the foreseeable future. The Smith 6-6 and 321 pounds made the pro Bowl for the first time last season, its 4th year in the NFL. The former volunteer of Tennessee plays with an average sequence that the other interior line players of the Vikings are missing.
Zeitler is a 34 -year -old solid pro that is the size and the strength to be dominated. Zeitler agrees with 6-4 and 340 pounds, and he played a key role in the exceptional offensive year that the Lions had in 2024.
The signature of Smith or Zeitler would make the Vikings much more difficult, and bring them both transform a major weakness into a superior force.
Vikings also need secondary aid
The Vikings made great progress on defense last season while the coordinator Brian Flores built a unit that excelled to take the ball and keep the opponents outside the bottom area.
However, there were problems against the pass, and an upgrade of the staff would be useful. The Vikings should try to sign CB DJ Reed from New York Jets.
Reed has excellent cover skills even if he is not a big man at 5-9 and 185 pounds. Reed has 7 years of experience with the 49ers of San Francisco (2 years old), Seattle Seahawks (2 years) and New York Jets (3 years old).
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Reed has never had more than 2 interceptions during a season, but he can reflect the best receivers and prevent big games. He had 11 defended passes Last season with 64 plated and 4 plated for the loss.
Reed may not be an All-Pro candidate, but he understands the nuances of the cover and he could be a solid addition to the defense of the Flores.
Adoffo-Mensah and O’Connell also have a quarter-back problem
The most visible question that the Vikings are faced with a free agency is at the quarter. Darnold did a brilliant job to the regular season final and the eliminatory match. It was a good deal for the team at 10 million dollars for the season, but it will cost around $ 35 million per season for the team which signed it in 2025.
The Vikings have a quarter-behind pending to JJ McCarthy, and if he is in good health and completely recovered from the torn meniscus he suffered in the first pre-season game of the team last summer, he would have an excellent chance of becoming the team’s starter.
If it is not good enough health to take control of the QB1 position, the Vikings must make a decision on which will manage the mission. As good as Darnold last year, it does not seem likely that the team wants to commit to him for several seasons at a high price. A transition franchise or label is a possibility.
The Vikings have the former quarter of the Giants Daniel Jones in the fold after its release by New York. O’Connell has shown that he could be successful with a recutation to Darnold last season. Would he try to do the same magic with the athletic but inconsistent Jones?
This is another question to which the Vikings must answer once the free agency is open next month.
