3 Vikings Weaknesses Heading into 2025
The Minnesota Vikings enter the summer with high expectations for the 2025 campaign after winning 14 games in the previous year and addressing some of the key weaknesses. However, they couldn’t fix all of them.
3 Vikings Weaknesses Heading into 2025
After taking a look at the team’s strengths, we’ll now turn to the weaknesses.
3. Flawed Secondary
The secondary was bound to undergo massive changes as the top four cornerbacks were unsigned for the 2025 season, and the future of both starting safeties and another key backup was in question. About three months after free agency opened, the secondary looks like a respectable group, but it still requires some faith due to uncertainties.
At cornerback, the club re-signed Byron Murphy Jr. following his Pro Bowl campaign. His former teammates Shaq Griffin, Stephon Gilmore, and Fabian Moreau departed and are all still on the market. To replace them, the Vikings bet on third-year player Mekhi Blackmon to bounce back from his torn ACL, veteran Isaiah Rodgers to be ready for a full-time role, and Jeff Okudah to be good enough to take over if one of the other two isn’t up for the task.
Harrison Smith was retained for another season while Cam Bynum left. Combined with Joshua Metellus and Theo Jackson, the franchise still has a solid safety crew, but only if Jackson is ready for a bigger role and Smith doesn’t fall off a cliff, which is in the realm of possibility at the age of 36.
The secondary requires some faith. If most of those things work out, it’ll be a decent group, but until we know for sure, it surely belongs on the weakness list.
2. Injury History
This offseason, the Vikings hired a bunch of previously injured players. That includes defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, who are coming off significant time on the sidelines. Offensive guard Will Fries is still not practicing in OTAs, and Rondale Moore might miss time in training camp. Ryan Kelly has an extensive injury history filled with concussions as well as back and knee problems.
That combined with J.J. McCarthy, who missed his rookie season, and Christian Darrisaw, who also suffered a season-ending injury last year, and might not return in time for Week 1, is a scary mix.
It’s reasonable to bet on injured players to make a comeback because those are cheaper in free agency, but how likely is it that all of those bets can be won? Not everyone can be Andrew Van Ginkel; some might end up as Marcus Davenport. The franchise hopes it can keep the aging players healthy after a year with injuries.
1. Inexperienced QB
And finally, without any doubt, the major reason as to why a loaded Vikings roster is not universally considered a Super Bowl contender.
The Vikings simply enter the season with a quarterback who has never taken an NFL snap, and his only experience since college has been practice and about two quarters of preseason play. Minnesota’s decision-makers and teammates are confident he’ll get it done, but it’s a concern nonetheless.
McCarthy has shown promise in that preseason action, and the reports out of Eagan, MN, are primarily encouraging, too. Still, he will play his first real NFL game in September, and young quarterbacks make mistakes that can hold back organizations. Although he is technically not a rookie anymore, he will make rookie mistakes, and those can cost games.
On the bright side, there’s no better situation for a quarterback than the Minnesota Vikings. The new offensive line and the weapons make this another solid bet, especially with Kevin O’Connell mentoring the young passer.
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