Vikings NFL Draft strategy: With free agency filling voids, what's Minnesota's plan?

New York Times

24-03-2025

The first wave of free agency often clarifies a team's plans for the NFL Draft. The Minnesota Vikings added players in so many spots that the possibilities may be more open than initially expected.
Bringing back Byron Murphy Jr. kept Minnesota from having to find a versatile difference-maker at cornerback. Trading with the San Francisco 49ers for Jordan Mason addressed the need at running back.
Minnesota has multiple paths it could follow come late April. Here is a brief snapshot of the possibilities at the top and how the road the Vikings take could affect the ensuing decisions:
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— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) March 19, 2025
Any conversation about what the Vikings will do at No. 24 should start here.
Minnesota has only four picks in the 2025 draft. The team kept its first-rounder, received a third-round compensatory selection, has a fifth-rounder (via the Cleveland Browns) and a sixth-rounder (after trading for Mason). The Vikings have all of their premium picks for 2026. Because multiple free agents departed for big money this spring, more compensatory picks are likely coming their way.
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Still, Minnesota could benefit from more draft darts to throw at young contributors on rookie contracts. Trading back from No. 24 would help replenish those picks. Of course, the Vikings would need a team to trade with. Buffalo, Kansas City and Philadelphia have not been afraid to move up to snag targeted prospects in recent years. If the Vikings were to drop down toward the bottom of the first round, they could garner another meaningful selection.
Last year, for example, the Dallas Cowboys traded the No. 24 pick to Detroit. The Lions shipped Dallas a third-rounder as part of the deal. Adding more draft capital while remaining at the bottom of the first round would accomplish two things for the Vikings: allow them to find premium talent and give them more bites at the apple.
The Vikings understand that trading down isn't always the answer. In 2022, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah executed a deal with the Lions to move back from No. 12 to No. 32. Not only did safety Lewis Cine (their pick at 32) not pan out, but also the decision appears worse as Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (who was available to Minnesota at No. 12) has become a star.
This is a worthwhile subject matter whether or not the Vikings trade back. Because Minnesota filled so many needs in free agency, there is no pressure to focus on one position. The interior of the defensive line does not have an immediate void. Running back is not the obvious need it once was. Left guard remains one of the more questionable spots on the roster, but it's not as if there aren't options.
Wanting to see how Blake Brandel looks next to center Ryan Kelly and left tackle Christian Darrisaw (when he returns from his ACL tear) would make sense. Walter Rouse, who played tackle at Oklahoma, got reps at guard last fall and could factor into the mix.
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The depth at cornerback might be questionable, but the Vikings might want to see if Mekhi Blackmon or Dwight McGlothern can prove they deserve an opportunity.
In other words, the Vikings are in a position where they don't have to reach to fill an immediate hole. Most drafted players will have time to assimilate into the professional environment rather than being thrust into action with the pressure to perform for a team that has high expectations. Drafting a running back is still possible, but only if the right player falls to the Vikings in their preferred spot.
Minnesota's goal has been to build the type of roster that allows for conviction in the player to win out, as opposed to any short-term need.
What happens if the Vikings don't trade back? And what if, for example, there are several intriguing players available? Position could then become a focus, and the Vikings proved over the last two weeks how committed they are to becoming more formidable in the trenches.
Drafting an interior offensive or defensive lineman would reinforce that vision. First, the Vikings must be mindful of the injury histories of Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, Will Fries and Kelly. Losing any of the four for an extended period would leave Minnesota in a similar position to last season. Second, the Vikings are not contractually bound to any of these four for more than two seasons, meaning that adding young talent would be an investment for the future.
The Vikings also have to consider their current contracts. Head coach Kevin O'Connell, along with the rest of the staff and locker room, reveres right tackle Brian O'Neill, but O'Neill's contract will become much heftier next season, necessitating restructuring conversations. Similarly, 2026 is the final season of defensive tackle Harrison Phillips' deal. The belief that either of these players would be hard to retain would further validate eyeing a lineman (or two).
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Minnesota has often gone to the defensive back well at the top of the draft. Chronicling the misses — Cine, Jeff Gladney, Mike Hughes, etc. — is why this is still a discussion.
Even if the Vikings are committed to a cornerback or safety at No. 24 (or following a trade back), it's going to be a tough sell. That should not prevent Minnesota from doing it if there is a player who defensive coordinator Brian Flores sees as a fit for his system.
Safety might even be the more interesting position. The Vikings staff believes Theo Jackson can become a key contributor, hence the three-year extension. Doubting Harrison Smith's ability to keep contributing into the future would be foolish at this point, but bringing in a capable youngster who could learn from him might also benefit them once Smith retires.
In reflecting on the 2022 draft, Adofo-Mensah has admitted that safety is among the most difficult positions to evaluate. Missing on another at the top of a draft would leave little wiggle room.
(Photo of T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)