Where should they be looking?
We are officially two weeks away from the 2025 NFL Draft in that state just to our east, and as things stand right now our Minnesota Vikings still only have four picks. While a lot of folks want the Vikings to trade back, they’re going to have to make a pick eventually. . .well, you would think, anyway.
As we get ready for this year’s selection meeting, what is the biggest current need on the Vikings’ roster? We’ve got a few suggestions, but we want to know your opinion as well. Here are a few potential answers to that question, in no particular order.
Guard – The Vikings address the interior of the offensive line in a big way this offseason, luring both center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries from the Indianapolis Colts. Between those two and the tackle combo of Brian O’Neill and the returning Christian Darrisaw, the Vikings have significant above average players at four of the five spots on the offensive line. What does the team think of Blake Brandel? Brandel looked great until the Darrisaw injury and then his level of play dropped significantly. Could Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company be looking to add someone to potentially take his spot?
Interior defensive line – The Vikings’ linebacker corps is on the short list of the best in the league, and they’ve added some firepower up front as well in the form of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave to team with Harrison Phillips. The defensive tackle class in this year’s draft is pretty deep, and it might make sense for the purple to take a look for a bigger body for the middle of the defense who could at least make their presence felt on early downs.
Cornerback – Minnesota spent big money to bring back Byron Murphy before free agency started and then lured Isaiah Rodgers away from Philadelphia to, presumably, be the other starter. Mekhi Blackmon is returning from the ACL he suffered in the first practice of 2024, and as things stand right now the depth behind those three guys is a little bit on the iffy side. Brian Flores might want to add another piece to a defense that should be among the NFL’s best this coming season.
Wide receiver – This one might raise some eyebrows, but let’s take a look at the depth chart. Justin Jefferson is Justin Jefferson, yes. Jordan Addison is likely going to miss the first three games of the season, and the rest of the depth chart is. . .well, it’s kind of blah. I mean, do we trust Jalen Nailor at this point? Is Rondale Moore back from his ACL tear, or is he going to go on the PUP list heading into training camp and possibly miss regular season time? The idea of taking what would be a third first-round wide receiver in a couple of weeks might seem far-fetched, but I don’t know if it’s totally out of the question.
Those are the biggest needs on the roster that I can see at the moment. As always, your mileage may vary, and we want to know what you think!