The Vikings Left Two Positions Untouched During Draft Weekend
The Minnesota Vikings entered the 2024 NFL Draft with a number of different needs across their roster.
For the most part, those needs were filled in some manner either through draft selections or undrafted free agent signings shortly after the draft concluded. However, the Vikings did leave two positions completely untouched throughout the draft process.
The Vikings Left Two Positions Untouched During Draft Weekend
Let’s start defensively with a relatively unsurprising position: the safety spot. Minnesota is set to return the entire six-man safety group that they had during the 2023 season after Harrison Smith agreed to take a contract restructure this offseason.
With the emergences of both Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus last year, it makes sense for the Vikings to simply run back the same group at the position rather than spend assets to bring in another piece. However, the security that the Vikings currently have at the safety position may be short-lived.
Bynum is set to enter free agency next offseason if the Vikings don’t give him a new contract extension at some point this offseason. Meanwhile, Smith is entering his age-35 season and could hang up his cleats at the end of the year.
The other spot that was left untouched during the draft was the running back position. Of course, the Vikings got some very subpar production from the running game in 2023, which caused them to move on from Alexander Mattison and bring in Aaron Jones to hopefully be a better complement for Ty Chandler in the backfield.
It can be debated whether this simple replacement at the top of the room will be enough to buoy Minnesota’s rushing attack. After all, Jones is a 30-year-old running back who just missed six games because of injury in 2023.
Furthermore, Jones is only on a one-year contract, so the running back need isn’t necessarily solved for the long-term in Minnesota. The position most likely will come back around in 2025 as a need once again.
We shall see if these two positions get a little more attention during the 2025 NFL Draft, but as of now, Minnesota is slated to hold only three picks in that event.
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Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.