10 Things I Think I Know about the Minnesota Vikings Ahead of the 2026 Season

To begin, a tip of the cap to Matthew Berry, the top fantasy football writer on planet earth. If memory serves, Mr. Berry does a “10 things he thinks” piece (or something vaguely similar). Berry is therefore my muse in this one.

The Minnesota Vikings are walking into a pivotal season. Last year, the Vikings finished off with a 9-8 record, a humdrum win/loss total that needed a five-game winning streak to clear .500 by the end of the season. Brian Flores’ crew, in particular, deserves credit for getting to a winning record. The Vikings are now facing a pile of pressure. Check out some things I think I know about this team going into 2026.

Football 10 Things I Know about the Minnesota Vikings (I Think)

1 — Special Teams Coordinator Matt Daniels Doesn’t Get the Credit He Deserves

Maybe a pile of people think Coach Daniels is excellent at his job. If that’s the case, they need to advertise that perspective more. The Sp/T coach has coaxed All Pro out of Will Reichard and Andrew DePaola. He developed Ryan Wright to a point where he became a wonderful punter. A lot of less obvious players (think gunners) have been great, too. Coach Daniels is a great coach.

2 — Tai Felton is Skating on Thin Ice

At minimum, Mr. Felton is a monster out at gunner who has potential as a deep threat on offense. Does Nolan Teasley find room on the 53-man roster for him? Whoever wins the WR4, WR5, and maybe a WR6 spot is going to have done so after winning a fierce battle. Presumably, there’s a team or two out there willing to trade for somebody who was a 3rd-Round selection in 2025, albeit at a discounted price.

3 — Rick Spielman is Still Being Felt on the Vikings’ Roster

Consider a tweet to summarize the odd reality:

The Spielman picks who remain: Brian O’Neill, Justin Jefferson, Blake Brandel, Josh Metellus, and Christian Darrisaw. Not too shabby, right?

4 — Kevin O’Connell Needs to Get Out of His Own Way by Running the Darn Football

Every so often, very smart people do dumb things. Kevin O’Connell is not somebody who lacks for brains or an understanding of the game. He may, nevertheless, overthink things. Simplify the game. Run the ball.

5 — TE1 T.J. Hockenson Isn’t a Lock for the 53-Man Roster

He’s a well-paid tight end even after getting a financial hair cut earlier in 2026. Does he still demand a spot on the final roster? Nobody from among the other tight ends can match him as a pass catcher but maybe that’s not needed. Presumably, some team out there would be willing to shuffle over a Day 3 pick to snag the 29-year-old tight end.

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6 — Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Domonique Orange are MIN’s Top DTs in 2026

Jalen Redmond is going to be the unquestioned DT1. In 2024, he was an upside depth piece. He then proved to be better than Jonathan Allan and Javon Hargrave in 2025. The 2026 season sees him play even better as he starts getting noticed around the NFL instead of just within Minnesota’s borders. What’s missing: Caleb Banks, who has missed valuable on-field time due to injury.

7 — Dallas Turner Will Struggle to Replace Jonathan Greenard

Mr. Greenard is a great player (check out a piece from Tyler Dunne to get a sense of why the former Viking works so hard). Injuries are a problem, but when he’s out there he’s equally excellent at walloping passers and shutting down the run. Does Turner prove so formidable? I haven’t seen it yet.

8 — LG1 Donovan Jackson Turns into a Complete Bulldozer Who Makes the Old GM Look Smart

The 1st-Round selection from the 2025 NFL Draft had a solid rookie season. Solid, not sizzling. Rather than a sophomore slump, Jackson proves to be a great player who makes a dent in the line of scrimmage on a weekly basis.

9 — The Eric Wilson Contract Ages Poorly

Opting for Leo Chenal, young and with great size, would have been better. These LBs went for very similar deals but Minnesota went with the in-house option on the wrong side of 30. That ends up being a mistake as the late-career breakout ended up being unsustainable.

10 — J.J. McCarthy Starts More Games than Kyler Murray

For a little while, I’ve had an educated guess. Kyler Murray is the starter in Week 1 but J.J. McCarthy starts more games in the 2026 season. I’ve yet to be convinced that isn’t a correct take. Doesn’t mean I’ve hit the bullseye, folks. Rather, that’s a guess based off what I’ve observed.