The Vikings got bigger and better this offseason and analysts are agreeing it may be one of the best rosters in the NFL this year.
On Wednesday morning, Eric Edholm of NFL.com went about ranking the top 10 most complete rosters in the NFL. While there may be a few surprises included, most of the teams are and have been at the top for awhile now.
The top spot went to the Philadelphia Eagles who are fresh off their Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. They were followed by the Ravens, Lions, the aforementioned Chiefs, and the Buffalo Bills which rounded out the top five.
But that next spot at number six? That was filled by none other than the Minnesota Vikings.
“It’s difficult to precisely place the Vikings, who have a Formula 1 roster but a learner’s permit driver,” says Edholm. “After being sidelined with a knee injury for all of 2024, first-year starting QB J.J. McCarthy likely holds the key for this team, which is coming off a 14-win season, but how do you properly rank a talented squad with a quarterback who has just 30 snaps in a preseason game under his belt?”
Edholm goes on to say that McCarthy’s pedigree as a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft helps him keep the floor of this team high, and that his projected success stems from the fact that he has an even better supporting cast around him than Sam Darnold did during the team’s recent 14-3 season. While the weapons are the same, the Vikings spent a lot of money up front for McCarthy’s protection by adding both guard Will Fries and center Ryan Kelly.
As for the other side of the ball, Edholm loves what Brian Flores and Co. brought in, including the pair of impact defensive tackles in Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave.
“The defense has a front seven capable of controlling games. Most members of last year’s strong crew return, and the additions of Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen make it harder to double anyone up front. The secondary is the biggest concern, potentially counting on players such as Isaiah Rodgers and Theo Jackson for expanded roles. If everything comes together, Brian Flores could have another strong defense.”
The special teams unit looks to remain the same in 2025 with the trio of kicker Will Reichard, punter Ryan Wright, and long snapper Andrew DePaolo all returning for another go-round. Edholm believes there could be some room for improvement here, but overall knows it’s still a solid enough group that did their part in helping the team to the 14-3 record from a season ago.
