National NFL analysts have mixed opinions on the Minnesota Vikings heading into the 2025 season, as evidenced by their placement in various post-draft power rankings.
At ESPN and The Athletic, the Vikings are as high as No. 9 in the league. However, FOX Sports' David Helman has them down at No. 16, putting them behind the other three teams in the NFC North. Nate Davis of USA Today is even lower, putting Minnesota at No. 18.
Where do the Vikings actually deserve to be slotted? Are they a top-ten team, or are they closer to a group that should be lumped in somewhere in the middle of the pack?
This writer's opinion is that the Vikings should be closer to No. 9 than No. 16, even with an unproven starting quarterback in 22-year-old J.J. McCarthy. Somewhere in the 10-12 range feels about right. This is a fascinating team that went 14-3 last year but got smoked in the first round of the playoffs, then let Sam Darnold depart in free agency while pouring much of their offseason resources into the trenches.
The case for optimism heading into this Vikings season is an easy one to make. From a coaching and roster standpoint, everything is in place for McCarthy to have immediate success. Reigning NFL coach of the year Kevin O'Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores are extremely good at what they do. The Vikings' offensive line, which includes three new starters on the interior, should be among the league's best. The skill-position weapons, led by Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, were already elite before the addition of players like Jordan Mason and Tai Felton. Flores' defense, which added Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave to the middle, figures to once again be outstanding.
Assuming the rest of the roster stays fairly healthy, it'll all come down to McCarthy. If he's good right away, this might be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. And O'Connell's track record with quarterbacks suggests there's a solid chance that'll be the case, whether in 2025 or slightly later. Still, with McCarthy yet to throw a regular season pass in the NFL, I understand not wanting to anoint the Vikings as a top-8 team right now.
That's why the 10-12 range feels fair at this juncture. It's hard to rank the Vikings over teams with proven great quarterbacks, but their coaching and roster are too good to drop them any lower.
