Just Need An Average O

[StickierBuns]

If the 'O' just needs average QB play, we should be loading up on defense in this Draft. I keep reading about the weapons on offense, and that's awesome.... but lets get a corner, DT and safety out of this Draft then. 2027 will be VERY happy we did. Because to get to the Show, you need both an offense and defense and we have some holes on D. Give the Master Chef running the D some high quality groceries if you want a gourmet meal. If we keep putting garbage in on D, eventually we'll get garbage out.

---

Defense has lost 3 starters and backfilled none of them.

I think we're closer to 2024 defense than 2025, with shit DTs, that let's teams move the ball pretty easily against us, but hoping the turnovers come in droves.

Also, we had 3 viable safeties in 2024 and 1 currently

This ^. Let's D it up in this Draft. Future 2027 will thank us.

[MaroonBells]

Hey, I'm in a seriously discerning state of mind today! 

I think we tend to gloss over the offense and just make assumptions its going to be kick ass...I hope so (and the upside is there) but some stuff has to be seen by me to be believed. 

Three things have to happen imo:

1). Murray has to play well, stay healthy and can he lift all boats on that side of the ball? Yes, the WR's should feast
2). Frank Smith has to work his magic, especially with the run game and non under-center scheming. 
3). Darrisaw has to return to previous form and thats no gimme with that injury

As an aside, I have no idea what TJH can provide on-going with the passing game (yes, I know Murray knows how to feed a TE) but Hock aint the guy he was when we traded for him. I think the Vikings know this and cut his contract term.

Questions in my mind on TE and RB's...So it's just not a slam dunk to me this is going to be 01, 09 or 98 redux. 

I hope it is...

Valid points, PF. But aren’t those the kind of adjustments every team in the NFL deals with?

Remember last year at this time? Everyone was worried about the Lions without even considering they had lost their starting C, a starting CB, a starting Safety and a Pro Bowl guard. They were still good, but they weren’t the same. These things matter. Let’s fast forward a year and look at some other teams.

• Since Seattle's the team to beat, they lost their OC, they lost their starting RB, a starting CB, a starting S and a starting LB. Their biggest addition was WR Rasheed Shaheed.

• Lions again lost several key players. Their Pro Bowl LT, a starting Edge, a starting LB, a starting CB and David Montgomery. In terms of money, their biggest addition was Cade Mays, a league average center.

• Chicago lost their OC, their starting center, a starting LB and a starting WR. The biggest addition they made was Coby Bryant, the starting CB they pinched from Seattle. Their starting center is now Garrett Bradbury.

• Packers lost 11 players, including a starting LB, a starting WR, a starting Edge and a starting OL. They’ll get Tucker Kraft back and maybe Parsons later in the year. But their biggest addition was…wait for it…Javon Hargrave.

I’m glad you brought him up, because I think the most undervalued Vikings player going into 2026 is TJ Hockenson. Viking fans are talking about him like he’s in some kind of age-related decline. He’s 28. 4 years younger than Kittle, 8 years younger than Ertz and Kelce…and another year removed from the ACL.

[purplefaithful]

Valid points, PF. But aren’t those the kind of adjustments every team in the NFL deals with?

Remember last year at this time? Everyone was worried about the Lions without even considering they had lost their starting C, a starting CB, a starting Safety and a Pro Bowl guard. They were still good, but they weren’t the same. These things matter. Let’s fast forward a year and look at some other teams.

• Since Seattle's the team to beat, they lost their OC, they lost their starting RB, a starting CB, a starting S and a starting LB. Their biggest addition was WR Rasheed Shaheed.

• Lions again lost several key players. Their Pro Bowl LT, a starting Edge, a starting LB, a starting CB and David Montgomery. In terms of money, their biggest addition was Cade Mays, a league average center.

• Chicago lost their OC, their starting center, a starting LB and a starting WR. The biggest addition they made was Coby Bryant, the starting CB they pinched from Seattle. Their starting center is now Garrett Bradbury.

• Packers lost 11 players, including a starting LB, a starting WR, a starting Edge and a starting OL. They’ll get Tucker Kraft back and maybe Parsons later in the year. But their biggest addition was…wait for it…Javon Hargrave.

I’m glad you brought him up, because I think the most undervalued Vikings player going into 2026 is TJ Hockenson. Viking fans are talking about him like he’s in some kind of age-related decline. He’s 28. 4 years younger than Kittle, 8 years younger than Ertz and Kelce…and another year removed from the ACL.

TJH and AVG just look like Vikings of yore dont they? I hope he's not finished, but I got my doubts. My concerns are injury related, not necessarily age, not at 28.

[Waterboy]

Two assumptions: 

BFlo can hold serve. And he appears to be perfectly capable of turning chicken shit to chicken salad.

Our O, particularly the passing game, isn’t absolute dog shit two years in a row.

Not exactly a huge leap of faith.

I hope you’re right but I think we’re closer to mediocrity I. This young man’s game than we are to elite imho.