2024 offseason primer: Future hinges on what Vikings do at quarterback
To the surprise of many, the same Minnesota Vikings team that went 13-4 and clinched the No. 3 seed in the NFC in 2022 finished 7-10 and out of the playoffs in 2023.
Losing quarterback Kirk Cousins in Week 8 to an Achilles injury didn’t help, and neither did losing Justin Jefferson for seven games in the middle of the year either.
What happens with Cousins is obviously the story of the offseason for the Vikings. If they choose to scour the open market to find a QB, pickings are slim as Ryan Tannehill, Mitchell Trubisky, Tyrod Taylor, Sam Darnold and Joe Flacco lead a lackluster free-agent class.
The draft seems like a more appropriate avenue to explore as acquiring Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields seems unlikely as an intra-division trade.
Aside from addressing QB, the defense needs a lot of work. Minnesota’s top two leading sackers are set to be free agents, as is its middle linebacker. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has his work cut out for him in shaping the Vikings into a playoff contender again.
Here’s what you need to know about Minnesota's offseason:
PROJECTED 2024 CAP SPACE: $28.8M (14th-most in NFL)
FREE AGENTS | Offense: QBs Kirk Cousins, Joshua Dobbs; RB Cam Akers; WRs Brandon Powell, K.J. Osborn; TEs Johnny Mundt, Ben Ellefson, Nick Muse; OTs David Quessenberry, Oli Udoh, Blake Brandel; OGs Dalton Risner, Chris Reed, Austin Schlottmann
Defense: DEs Marcus Davenport, Jonathan Bullard, D.J. Wonnum; DTs James Lynch, Khyiris Tonga, T.J. Smith; LBs Jordan Hicks, Troy Dye, Danielle Hunter, Anthony Barr; CBs Theo Jackson, John Reid
Special teams: Kicker Greg Joseph
Outlook: Obviously, the elephant in the room is Cousins, who played this season on a one-year, $35 million contract. Spotrac projects his market value around $39.3M per season, which may be a little too rich for GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s blood. If the team stays put in the draft, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. or Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy could both be options. Beyond QB, Minnesota needs to address its running back issue as well.
Akers only played six games after a midseason trade with the Rams, and never really got a chance to make much of a contribution. He’s worth taking a one-year flier on while letting him compete with Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler for carries. Hunter and Wonnum combined for 24.5 of Minnesota’s 43 sacks, and at least one — if not both — should be retained. Hicks has five straight seasons with 100 or more tackles, and he’s the heart of the Vikings defense. Although he’s 31, he’s an important piece and Minnesota should do what it can to keep him around.
2024 DRAFT PICKS: Round 1 (No. 11 overall) | Round 2 | Round 4 | Round 4 (via Detroit) | Round 5 (via Kansas City) | Round 5 (via Cleveland) | Round 6 (via Jacksonville) | Round 6 (via Las Vegas) | Round 7 (via Atlanta)
TOP DRAFT NEEDS (in order): QB, Edge-rusher, DT, RB, CB — If Cousins isn’t re-signed, the No. 11 overall pick is an obvious option to find his replacement. As previously mentioned, Penix Jr. and McCarthy could be in play, and I wouldn’t rule out the Vikings trying to trade up into the top 10 if North Carolina’s Drake Maye or LSU’s Jayden Daniels surprisingly starts falling.
If QB isn’t the pick, then addressing their pass-rushing need isn’t a bad route for the Vikings to go. If one or both of Hunter and Wonnum aren’t re-signed, then there’s virtually no one on the roster that can consistently get to the quarterback. Alabama’s Dallas Turner or UCLA’s Laiatu Latu would make excellent choices at No. 11.
DRAFT PROSPECTS TO WATCH: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan; Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington; Bo Nix, QB, Oregon; Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois; T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas; Byron Murphy, DT, Texas; Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama; Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State; Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA; Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson; Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama; Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas; Blake Corum, RB, Michigan
THREE 2024 STORYLINES TO WATCH:
- Who’s playing quarterback, and will it affect Jefferson’s contract extension?
- Is O’Connell on the hot seat if the Vikings miss the playoffs for the second straight year?
- With Detroit and Green Bay both playoff-caliber teams, and Chicago seemingly on the rise, will Minnesota finish last in the NFC North for the first time since 2013?
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