The Minnesota Vikings will not be a playoff team this year, but some personnel changes next offseason could remake the offense in a way that is terrifying for the rest of the NFL.
JJ McCarthy has looked like a legitimate starting quarterback over the past two weeks, and the addition of a top-flight running back behind a healthy offensive line could change the makeup of the entire offense in 2026.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report on Tuesday, December 16 named the Vikings as one of the top landing spots for running back Breece Hall, currently of the New York Jets.
“Although [Jordan] Mason has fared well when called upon, he’s logged just 10 starts across his first 59 professional games,” Kay wrote. “He’s also struggled with health when taking on heavier workloads. After a fast start to the 2024 season, he was limited by various injuries and ultimately wound up on the IR for the final five games.”
“That’s not what a team wants to see in a potential lead back, a concern that could lead Minnesota to make a run at a surer option in Hall,” Kay continued.
Aaron Jones Profiles as Likely Cap Casualty for Vikings Next Offseason
GettyRunning back Aaron Jones of the Minnesota Vikings.
The notion that the Vikings will look for a more reliable, more durable RB1 makes considerable sense, as the prospect of cutting veteran Aaron Jones represents significant cap savings for a team that needs to clear a lot of salary next offseason.
Moving on from Jones will save Minnesota $7.2 million against the cap, which represents approximately 20 percent of the $36 million in debt the team currently faces heading into 2026.
Adding Hall will potentially cost the Vikings $10.4 million against the cap, as Spotrac projects his market value at just shy of $42 million over a new four-year deal.
Minnesota would assume a $3.2 million hit in the aggregate via that transaction. However, the Vikings would also add an insurance element to the offense behind McCarthy that might make sense considering the risk involved in moving forward with the 22-year-old QB as the likely starter in 2026.
Vikings Can Afford to Pay Breece Hall if They Focus NFL Draft on Defensive Needs
GettyMinnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Minnesota also needs to add talent and depth at the cornerback position, though top NFL analysts believe the team will do so via its first pick in the draft.
Field Yates of ESPN predicted in his initial mock draft on December 10 that the Vikings will add LSU cornerback Monsoor Delane as their first pick.
“A notable need for the Vikings is cornerback, where the team is lacking depth behind Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers,” Yates wrote. “[Delane] has excellent size for the position (6-foot, 190 pounds) and thrives using force at the catch point to disrupt the ball. Delane is at his best playing off coverage and reading the quarterback, though he is also a willing run defender who could thrive in Brian Flores’ aggressive system.”
“When targeted as the primary coverage player this season, [Delane] surrendered the third-lowest completion percentage in the FBS (27.8%),” Yates continued.
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