The Vikings Appear Ready to Adjust the Strategy in a Specific Way
The Vikings appear ready to lean into 12 personnel more than in years past.
Right now, there’s some skittishness about Minnesota’s receiver depth, or lack thereof. Putting Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison onto the field is a dream scenario for most NFL teams, but there’s uncertainty about whether Tai Felton (or a mystery option) can shine at WR3. Confidence in 11 personnel will need to be earned.
Less common within the online doom-and-glooming has been the departure of long-time fullback C.J. Ham. Not having a muscular blocker at fullback makes it more difficult to lean into 21 personnel, the cluster of players that involves a pair of runners in the backfield.
Offsetting these (perceived) concerns about the viability of 11 personnel and/or 21 personnel is a turn toward 12 personnel, an approach that features tight ends prominently.
The Vikings Appear Ready for More 12P
Start off by decoding the sometimes tricky-to-parse personnel number system.
As a basic starting point, the number system assumes that there are five offensive linemen alongside a singular quarterback (fair). Football, a sport played with eleven players per side, therefore sees six of the eleven slots accounted for with those players. What needs to be determined is how those remaining five openings get used. Some combo of running backs, tight ends, and/or wide receivers generally gobble up the five openings.
Leaning on 12 personnel means a single running back, a pair of tight ends, and then a pair of wide receivers. The opening number — the “1” in this instance — always refers to the RB(s). The second number — the “2” in this instance — always refers to the TE(s). After seeing the number, the onlooker needs to fill-in the blanks. Using 1 RB and 2 TEs means needing 2 WRs to fill up the total of five openings on the field.
If you’re a football beginner, the number system may be tricky to track, but it’s something that becomes easier to digest in real time with more experience. Note, as well, that the normal NFL alignment is 11 personnel, a configuration consisting of 1 RB, 1 TE, and the unsaid but assumed 3 WRs.
Applying the situation to the Vikings means 12 personnel offers up RB Aaron Jones, TE T.J. Hockenson, TE Josh Oliver, WR Justin Jefferson, and WR Jordan Addison. A perfectly legitimate and reasonable formulation of skill to do damage to a defense.
And, to be sure, there are ways that the specific players can get toggled. Jordan Mason, for instance, is going to be leaned on with regularity. Plus, there are several tight ends on the roster alongside several receivers, players who will get tossed into the mix (if only in a humble manner).
Past iterations of the Vikings’ offense has leaned on 12 personnel, meaning that we’re not talking about a novel concept and/or wholesale change. That’s not what’s at stake. Rather, there could be a greater reliance on the personnel grouping. That’s the subtle tweak that may nevertheless change the complexion of the team.
Losing Jalen Nailor means some uncertainty about how 11 personnel will function. Scrounging up a receiver isn’t difficult; scrounging up a receiver who can make plays is a touch more difficult. So, leaning on a trio of receivers with such regularity shouldn’t be understood as a foregone conclusion.
Similarly, there is yet to be a blocking bully at FB to replace Ham. Maybe the Vikings leave the opening unfilled. In effect, the viability of 21 personnel has taken a hit.
According to Sumer Sports, the Vikings finished off at 10th in the NFL in 2025 by leaning on 11 personnel close to 64% of the time. Meanwhile, 12 personnel came in at a touch beyond 21%, good for 17th in the NFL. Completely shrinking the gap between those two percentages isn’t going to happen, but maybe the Vikings begin flirting with the top-ten for 12 personnel usage. Pushing the 12 personnel usage past 30% wouldn’t be shocking.
By a Minnesota mile, the top story surrounding the Vikings is the possibility of Kyler Murray. There’s then the upcoming draft haul. Buried within these stories is the possible tweak to how the offense tries to move the ball.
Every single NFL coach claims to adjust the strategy according to what his players do best. If a burner always gets open deep, then let the lad run deep. If a linebacker is a ferocious blitzer, then let him blitz. Pretty basic.
What should be remembered is that another way that the Vikings can accentuate talent rests within the basic personnel groupings. The Vikings, taken as a whole, have uncertainty at WR and FB. In contrast, there’s deep, trusted talent at TE. So, adjust the strategy by putting more TEs onto the field.
Watch for how the roster evolves. Much work remains, but this is a story that’s lingering in the background.
