It was a disappointing season for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025. It was even worse when the quarterback they had the year before went on to win the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. Poor quarterback play doomed their season. Now the team is planning to crush their offseason in three ways: cuts, trades, and rebuilding.
Minnesota Vikings’ Plan to Crush the Offseason: Cut, Trade, Rebuild, Compete
Through ex-general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the Vikings are currently undergoing a ‘competitive rebuild’. The strategy is to modernize the roster and secure long-term salary cap health. But at the same time, they do not plan on sacrificing their competitive fire. But now terminated, the plan is underway with interim GM Rob Brzezinski.
Finishing 9-8 in 2025, the Vikings have to claw their way back to contention due to the fact of three other tough teams in the division. So what will the Vikings plan on doing over the offseason?
Minnesota’s Quarterback Crisis
After the 2024 NFL season, the Vikings made a huge mistake in letting quarterback Sam Darnold walk in free agency, and he ultimately won the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks.In 2025, the Vikings ranked 25th in the league in passing yards.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was supposed to be the answer, but he was often injured or inconsistent. Leading the way with 1,632 passing yards, the Vikings face a dilemma. They can either stick with the struggling McCarthy or search for a veteran quarterback.
Potential options like Anthony Richardson Sr., Derek Carr, Kyler Murray, or Geno Smith could help change the culture of the offense.
Trench Work
Another major area of concern is the offensive and defensive line. The offensive unit struggled heavily with injuries. The starting five alone played in only 83 total snaps together, and they could not stop opposing defenses. Entering Week 18, the Vikings allowed an 11.4% sack rate, which was the worst in the NFL. They also allowed 60 sacks in 2025.
Although the 16 sacks were still concerning, it was better than the four they generated in 2024. Despite the group improving on the passing defense, their rushing defense was inconsistent. They ranked 21st in the league against the run and allowed running backs to average 124.1 rushing yards per game.
Pass rusher Jonathan Allen has shown great progress on the defensive side of the ball, while center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries anchor a weak offensive line that is in desperate need of improvement.
Salary Cap Reset
It was announced on March 1 that the Vikings are possibly releasing running back Aaron Jones and pass rusher Javon Hargrave to walk in free agency. With this move, Minnesota will be saving around $20 million in cap.
The move also saves the Vikings from the current salary cap trouble they put themselves in ($40 million over). Minnesota will have to get back on budget, and to do so, will cut and trade the majority of its veteran players.
The 2026 NFL draft is going to be a factor for the Vikings. Minnesota currently holds eight selections. This also includes the 18th overall selection in the upcoming draft, which is a key moment for the franchise that is desperate to stack up wins again.