The Minnesota Vikings are facing some serious issues in the 2024 season. Start off with the fact that the NFC North may be the most challenging division in the NFL.
The Detroit Lions have never been to the Super Bowl, but they have serious aspirations of representing the NFC in the title game and winning their first championship. The Green Bay Packers surged at the end of last season and nearly made it to the NFC title game. Jordan Love took charge in his first season as Green Bay's starting quarterback and he appears to be ready to join the league's elite.
The Chicago Bears drafted Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and he should have an outstanding group of wide receivers at his disposal. If the Bears don't make the playoffs this season, it will be a major disappointment.
The Vikings go into the year with a new quarterback and without their best defensive player from last year. Sam Darnold is scheduled to be the team's QB1 until first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy is deemed ready to take over. Danielle Hunter (16.5 sacks last year) left the team through free agency and signed with the Houston Texans, and defensive coordinator Brian Flores is going to have to figure out how to keep this unit on track.
The Vikings drafted Alabama's Dallas Turner with their second first-round pick and signed free agents Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman and Jonathan Greenard in an effort to overcome Hunter's departure. Those three veterans should solidify the Minnesota defense and if Turner demonstrates outstanding pass rush skills, the Vikings could become a top-10 defense
Key to the Vikings season will be the offensive capacity
Head coach Kevin O'Connell is clearly an offensive innovator and he is going to have to be at his best if the Minnesota offense is going to thrive without Kirk Cousins at quarterback.
Early reports indicate that Darnold has an excellent understanding of what the Vikings want from him at the position and that his offseason execution has been quite good — for whatever that is worth well before the start of training camp.
The Vikings made a key move to give Darnold an upgraded running game from the one the team had a year ago. They signed free agent running back Aaron Jones away from the Green Bay Packers and he should be 1,000-plus yard performer. Ty Chandler performed well when he was given a chance last year and he has a chance to be a solid No. 2 running back.
However, if the Vikings are going to overcome expectations and make a run at a playoff spot or possibly the division title, the key will be the play of the receivers.
This is the strength of the team — at least as far as the 1-2 punch is concerned. Justin Jefferson is clearly one of the best receivers in the league and a case can be made that he is the NFL's best wideout. Second-year wide receiver Jordan Addison is a game-breaking speedster who can deliver big plays at the most opportune moments.
Throw in tight end and T.J. Hockenson, and that means that either Darnold or McCarthy will have a dynamic group of pass catchers at their disposal.
Vikings need a No. 3 wideout
As good as the top two receivers and the tight end are, the Vikings need a No. 3 receiver who can take the pressure off and also do some solid blocking. The Vikings had K.J. Osborn in that role last year, but he left the team and signed with the New England Patriots.
He will likely have a much more prominent role with that team than he would have had with the Vikings, so it makes sense that he left for a new opportunity.
Tiny Brandon Powell is currently listed as the team's No. 3 wide receiver, on the most recent depth chart, and while he has some talent and explosiveness, he could be overwhelmed when asked to block at 5-8 and 181 pounds.
There are still some wideouts available who have not been signed in veterans Hunter Renfrow, Russell Gage and Jamal Agnew.
Renfrow is an accomplished pass catcher, but he does not offer much in terms of blocking ability. That does not appear to be Agnew's strength either.
However, Gage is 6-0 and and 185 pounds, and he can block. He is also a decent pass catcher who has caught between 49 and 72 passes in the four seasons between 2019 and 2022. Gage missed the 2023 season with the Tampa Bay Bucs as a result of a preseason injury.
Gage might fill the No. 3 role perfectly for the Vikings if they wanted to bring him onto the team's 2024 roster. He was released by Tampa Bay after the 2023 season, so he will be available to any team that signs him in 2024.
