Minnesota Vikings 2025 Season Preview
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of Brad Rempel/IMAGN Images)
The Vikings are making the transition from a fantastic year out of Sam Darnold to JJ McCarthy, who will essentially be a rookie in 2025. Coming off the season-ending injury, McCarthy will look to put together a full and productive season with Kevin O’Connell. If Sam Darnold can resurrect his career in the Vikings’ offense, that should be a good sign for what JJ McCarthy can do.
Trades: Minnesota decided to offload IOL Ed Ingram, trading him to the Texans. Ingram is a player who I think is barely rosterable. He has been a weak link on that offensive line and with the new additions to the interior, his job was taken. They also managed to acquire former 49ers’ RB Jordan Mason in a trade for a late round pick. Mason will provide a decent upgrade from their backup situation last year behind Aaron Jones.
Departures: Aside from JJ McCarthy, the Vikings’ entire QB room left in the offseason. Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens, and Daniel Jones all found new homes. RB Cam Akers, WR Trent Sherfield, TE Johnny Mundt, OT David Quessenberry, OT Cam Robinson, C Garrett Bradbury, DL Jonathan Bullard, CB Stephon Gillmore, CB Shaq Griffin, and SAF Camryn Bynum are last season’s contributors who will be elsewhere in 2025.
Additions: GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had an active offseason. He agreed to multi-year contracts with TE Josh Oliver, IOL Will Fries, C Ryan Kelly, DT Jonathan Allen, and DT Javon Hargrave. These additions are eye-popping and at key positions of need. The offensive line became a huge weak spot for the team as the season progressed, adding Kelly and Fries to the interior will drastically improve that unit. On one-year deals, the team brought in CB Jeff Okudah, CB Isaiah Rodgers, and WR Rondale Moore.
Draft Selections: The Vikings only had 5 picks to work with, and I do not believe they capitalized enough on them. In the 1st round, they selected Ohio State IOL Donovan Jackson. Jackson spent over half the season at OT and held his own, but his true position is on the interior. An interior offensive line of Fries, Kelly, and Jackson could be elite, but I was not a huge fan of taking Jackson that high. The only other player from their draft class I see making an impact on the team is WR Tai Felton. With a stacked WR room, his impact may not be that large.
Season Predictions: The Vikings start the season on the road against the Bears before coming home to host the Falcons on Sunday Night Football. They host the Bengals before taking off to Dublin to play the Steelers. The Vikings go 3-1 to start the year.
October starts in Cleveland against the Browns leading into a Week 6 bye. Off the bye they play the Eagles at home and the Chargers in Los Angeles on Thursday Night Football. The Vikings go 1-2 in October.
Week 9 features a divisional clash on the road against the Lions. They host the Ravens and the Bears and then have two road matchups against the Packers and Seahawks. In this stretch, the Vikings go 2-3.
The final stretch includes a home date against the Commanders, a road game against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, road game against the Giants, and they host the Lions on Christmas and the Packers in the last week of the season. I have the Vikings going 3-2 in this stretch.
Final Thoughts: The Minnesota Vikings will finish the 2025 season with a record of 9-8. This is a huge regression from last season. However, a rookie QB (who I have never been high on) coming off an injury is hard to put my full faith into. I believe their ceiling could be 14 wins if McCarthy does well in O’Connell’s offense and their defense continues to dominate.
