Where does Vikings' upgraded roster rank among all 32 NFL teams?

The Vikings have assembled a truly remarkable roster over the last couple years. From skilled playmakers to monsters in the trenches, all of the pieces appear to be in place for Minnesota to contend for a championship if young quarterback J.J. McCarthy is the guy they believe him to be.

Where does the Vikings' roster rank among the NFL's 32 teams? Pro Football Focus has them at 8th, which is a decent ranking for a team whose QB hasn't yet made his regular season debut. And yet, it feels like that may still be underselling the amount of talent in Minnesota. ESPN's Mike Clay ranked the Vikings' roster 6th in the league. NFL.com's Eric Edholm also placed the Vikings 6th on his list of the 10 most complete teams in the league, noting that they have "a Formula 1 roster but a learner’s permit driver."

6-8 feels fair for right now, given McCarthy's lack of experience. But if he hits the ground running this year, this Vikings team could quickly be among the league's best. QB aside, this roster looks significantly better than the 2024 version that won 14 games.

Offensively, McCarthy has weapons galore at his disposal: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Jalen Nailor, Josh Oliver, and more. The offensive line in front of him, which features three new starters on the interior, could be one of the NFL's best.

And on the other side of the ball, this looks like the best roster Brian Flores has had to work with in his three years in Minnesota. Considering the Vikings finished second in defensive DVOA last year, that's high praise. Newcomers Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave will bring an interior pass-rush element to a defensive line that already featured Harrison Phillips and star edge rushers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace Jr. is a strong linebacker duo. And the secondary is led by Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, and Theo Jackson.

If there's one non-QB area of weakness to be found, it might be at cornerback, where the Vikings are leaning on Murphy, Rodgers, and Mekhi Blackmon. But there's also quite a bit of offseason remaining for a potential addition at that position. Special teams could be another potential concern.

Still, this roster looks absolutely stacked. If McCarthy slides in for Sam Darnold without a major drop-off, the rest of the league might be in trouble.

Read more