The Minnesota Vikings are gearing up for a new season, and head coach Kevin O’Connell is making plenty of calculated moves to make sure his roster is good to go by September. The 2025 NFL draft wrapped up last month, and the Vikings have received, for the most part, good reviews for their picks. NFL analyst and expert Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN gave the team a B- grade for their 2025 draft selections, which is less than stellar, but pointed out that the team has “one of the NFL’s most talented rosters around one of the biggest unknowns of the 2025 season. It appears they’re going to ride with J.J. McCarthy at quarterback, the 2024 first-rounder who missed his rookie campaign because of a knee injury.”
So, up ahead, with McCarthy serving as the top quarterback, what else do the Vikings have in their arsenal? The team is getting props for their interior offensive line following some deals during the offseason.
Minnesota Vikings Praised for Signing Ryan Kelly and Will Fries
In a May 5 piece for ESPN, the outlet’s NFL Nation team names the most improved aspects of each NFL team following the draft. For research, EPSN utilized a power panel of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities to evaluate how NFL teams stack up against one another, ranking them from 1 to 32.
“The 2025 NFL draft is complete, and prospects are beginning rookie minicamps with their new teams,” ESPN states in the feature. “The Titans took quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick, the Packers selected wide receiver Matthew Golden at No. 23, and the Eagles beefed up their linebacker room with Jihaad Campbell.”
For the Minnesota Vikings, Kevin Seifert gives the team high praise for improving upon their interior offensive line, which helped the team move up in post-free agency rankings by 10. He especially points out the Minnesota Vikings securing Ryan Kelly and Will Fries as good moves heading into the new season.
“The Vikings overhauled all three positions of their interior offensive line, committing $106 million in free agency to sign center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries,” Seifert noted in the feature.
Vikings Improved in Areas That Were Needed
He also commented on the Vikings’ improvement in their centers and guards, after suffering in those areas last season. It shows that O’Connell was hyperaware of the team’s weaknesses and has worked to change them.
“They used their first-round draft choice on Donovan Jackson, who will likely be their new left guard. The area was a major need for improvement,” he stated. “Their centers and guards all ranked in the bottom 10 last season in run block win rate. In 2025, the Vikings will likely have three first-round picks (Jackson, Kelly and left tackle Christian Darrisaw) and one second-round pick (right tackle Brian O’Neill) in their starting lineup.”
Looking ahead, the 2025 NFL season is scheduled to start with the NFL Kickoff Game on Thursday, September 4. The Philadelphia Eagles, who are the defending Super Bowl champions, will host the game, but their opponent hasn’t been announced yet.
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