Do offseason, draft, and trade grades matter? Not really. Do they tell what the world thinks as a gauge of a particular item? Absolutely. As for the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason in that vein, CBS Sports believes the franchise deserves a blah ‘C.’
Minnesota avoided splashy spending, added Kyler Murray, and reset its long-term cap outlook.
The Vikings found a new quarterback this offseason, but aside from that, the last four months have not been chalked full of roster surprises.
A Conservative Spring Leaves Room for Debate
Is it a ‘C’ for you? Better? Worse?
CBS Sports: Vikings’ Offseason Gets a ‘C’
Tyler Sullivan dropped the middling grade on Minnesota and explained, “The success or failure of this offseason will fall on the shoulders of Kyler Murray. If Minnesota can tap into Murray’s talent and get slightly above-average quarterback play, it might pick up right where it left off in 2024 when Sam Darnold was under center.”
“However, that’s easier said than done, as Murray hasn’t been the most durable player during his career, missing 30 of a possible 68 games over the past five seasons. There’s a high ceiling with the addition of Murray, who is likely to win the quarterback battle against J.J. McCarthy, but a low floor as well.”
Murray versus McCarthy may dominate Vikings training camp in July and August if McCarthy brings his A-game.
Sullivan added, “Defensively, the Vikings traded away Jonathan Greenard to the Eagles and parted ways with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in cost-cutting moves, so the defense may take a step back as well.”
“Similar to Murray, the fate of that side of the ball could fall on how first-round defensive tackle Caleb Banks fares. The Florida product oozes talent, but there are durability concerns having dealt with multiple foot injuries.’
The New Faces
From free agency, the Vikings added punter Johnny Hekker, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, defensive tackles Eric Johnson and Isaiahh Loudermilk, quarterback Kyler Murray, cornerback James Pierre, and offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark.
And in April’s draft, Minnesota selected Caleb Banks (DT, R1), Jake Golday (LB, R2), Domonique Orange (DT, R3), Caleb Tiernan (OT, R3), Jakobe Thomas (S, R3), Max Bredeson (TE, R5), Charles Demmings (CB, R5), Demond Claiborne (RB, R6), and Gavin Gerhardt (OL, R7).
That’s several fresh faces, but it doesn’t move the needle for CBS Sports.
Spending Smart, No Sprees
Minnesota took a conservative approach during free agency.
The Vikings had the chance to make significant moves as they did in 2024 and 2025. However, pursuing that strategy would have necessitated pushing financial commitments into 2027, 2028, 2029, and likely 2030 — juggling funds that can complicate a team’s situation after a Super Bowl window closes.
As a result, Minnesota largely opted out of major signings. The front office secured valuable additions, including Murray as QB1 for just $1.3 million. They avoided high-profile bids for players like Tyler Linderbaum and Trey Hendrickson, prioritizing cap flexibility over immediate results.
While this may seem uneventful now in May, it could prove to be a smart decision by next March. The Vikings approached 2026 as a year for financial reset rather than a spending spree. Thus, the offseason budget for 2027 should appear much cleaner than it would have with another round of aggressive contract backloading.
All of NFC North Gets a ‘C’
The only saving grace from Sullivan is the Vikings’ direct competition. No NFC North team graded higher than a ‘C.’
Sullivan on the Green Bay Packers’ C-offseason: “It doesn’t feel like Green Bay got noticeably better this offseason. The Packers made moves along the defense, adding Hargrave, Franklin and Cisse, but none of those exactly move the needle.”
“Meanwhile, they lost Quay Walker, who led the team in tackles last season, and Rashan Gary, who was second behind Micah Parsons in sacks. When you throw in the loss of defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley (hired as the Dolphins’ head coach), the defense could take a bit of a step back.”
The Chicago Bears fetched the same grade as Minnesota: “It feels like more talent went out the door than came in this offseason for the Bears. The most notable move was trading DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, but Chicago added a plethora of receivers on the roster, and the emergence of 2025 second-rounder Luther Burden III throughout his rookie season likely gave the organization the confidence to move off Moore.”
“The Bears used the No. 25 overall pick to add Thieneman to a safety room that saw both Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker leave in free agency.”
Sportsbooks expect the Detroit Lions to narrowly win the NFC North this season over the Packers, with Chicago and Minnesota fighting to avoid last place.
