Vikings Act Like a Team That Wants to Be Serious in 2025
Without fact-checking for the actual truth of that statement, what do fans always say wins Super Bowls? Well, having a cheap quarterback on a rookie contract and dominating in the trenches helps to win the big game. The Vikings haven’t had or done either in years, so it’s time to change, which is likely what general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah thought.
Vikings Act Like a Team That Wants to Be Serious in 2025
Now that Kirk Cousins’ contract is entirely off the books, the organization has the ability to invest heavily in other areas of the roster. Sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy is a way cheaper option with a cap hit of roughly $5 million in 2025.
Building strong offensive and defensive lines has been a problem for years in the Twin Cities. The offensive line hasn’t done a quarterback any favors in about a decade and cost the club multiple playoff runs.
After the disappointing playoff loss in January, head coach Kevin O’Connell suggested that the interior of the offensive line would be a point of emphasis:
“There’s no question we’ve got to find a way to be able to give a quarterback, especially with players like Justin (Jefferson), Jordan (Addison), T.J. (Hockenson), we’ve got to find a way to solidify just the interior of the pocket. There can be a thousand excuses made, whether it’s losing [Christian Darrisaw], or even midway through the game losing [Brian O’Neill] tonight, but for me, it’s the foundation of the interior of the pocket that we’re going to have to take a long look at.”
It was pretty much an annual event when free agency started for the Vikings to let the top names disappear from the market and then hire a guard who should probably not start in the league to protect the QB.
That’s how Kirk Cousins ended up with guys like Dakota Dozier or Tom Compton in front of him and subsequently on his back because they once again whiffed a block.
This year is different. Within the first 24 hours of the legal tampering window, the Vikings agreed to terms with a pair of Colts linemen. Perhaps the top guard on the market, Will Fries, will join his center, Ryan Kelly, in the Twin Cities.
Fries signed a huge contract worth $88 million for five seasons. It’s a big deal, but protecting the young quarterback is essential. Kelly is a superior pass protector compared to the demoted Garrett Bradbury, whose strengths are clearly in the running game.
The defensive equivalent is the acquisitions of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, two aging former Pro Bowlers who should still have something left in the tank. They both can get after the passer and will provide a huge boost in that regard.
With the exception of Sheldon Richardson, who spent a couple of seasons with the Vikings in 2018 and 2021, the Vikings haven’t had a pass-rushing threat on the interior since Kevin Williams more than a decade ago.
Adofo-Mensah had forecasted those additions.
“To play January football, there’s a certain way you’ve got to play. You’ve got to be able to control the ball, and be able to get after the passer with just four. We need to get better and will,” Adofo-Mensah told the media at the annual draft combine.
After years of underwhelming solutions, the Vikings have finally made the necessary investments to strengthen the trenches.
Does this guarantee a Super Bowl triumph? It surely doesn’t, but it might prevent folks from recapping another season a year from now and concluding that the trenches were once again the problem that everyone saw coming all along.
One thing is certain: the team will look unfamiliar in a good way with a more line-centric focus on team building when Week 1 rolls around.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Vikings’ Special Teams Ace Signs With Denver
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt