Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart
- NFC North
- Stadium
- U.S. Bank Stadium
- Head Coach
- Kevin O'Connell
- Offensive Coordinator
- Wes Phillips
- Defensive Coordinator
- Brian Flores
- Special Teams Coach
- Matt Daniels
- Defensive Scheme
- 3-4
The Minnesota Vikings released veteran cornerback Joejuan Williams on Tuesday, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero. The former Vanderbilt Commodore was a second-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2019 but has not found his footing in the NFL. Across 42 games with the Patriots, Vikings, and Bears, Williams has collected 46 tackles (32 solo), 10 pass deflections, and no interceptions. The 26-year-old signed a reserve/future contract on January 8 with the Vikings, but he is being let go after the team selected Oregon cornerback Khyree Jackson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold could be named the team's Week 1 starter over first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. As Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com writes, "It's only a matter of time before McCarthy becomes the Vikings' starting quarterback [...] but it is not likely to happen as quickly as some fans might hope, and if anything, the Vikings are poised to err on the side of methodical caution." Such a scenario could see Minnesota let Darnold, whom they signed this past offseason when Kirk Cousins left for Atlanta, start a few games before transitioning to McCarthy. Darnold has struggled to support major fantasy production from his playmakers at previous stops, including the Jets and Panthers, so fantasy managers might want to temper expectations with players like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson to start the year. Darnold himself falls to the low-end QB3 tier in fantasy football drafts.
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) is ahead of scheduled in his rehab this offseason, but the Vikings are committed to ensuring he is fully healthy before he plays. Last year's contract cemented the team's belief that he is one of its cornerstone players when he's healthy, and they aren't just going to rush a player like that back from a severe injury. Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt will fill in if Hockenson needs to miss the first couple weeks of the 2204 season. Hockenson suffered a torn right ACL and MCL in late December last year, and his recovery this offseason will be a big storyline for Minnesota's offense as they move to a new era without quarterback Kirk Cousins. When healthy, Hockenson is a high-end TE1 in fantasy, but he'll come at a discounted price in drafts this fall if it's looking like he won't be ready to start the year on time.
The Minnesota Vikings have exercised the fifth-year option on standout offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The No. 23 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft has earned a Pro Football Focus grade of at least 82.4 over the last two seasons and is widely viewed as at least an above-average player at the position. With rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy slated to take over the franchise at some point in the 2024 season, locking up key offensive linemen should be a priority. With this move, Darrisaw will be under contract with the Vikings through the 2025 campaign.
Following this year's NFL draft in which the Minnesota Vikings didn't take a single receiver, Brandon Powell, Jalen Nailor and Trent Sherfield are all candidates to fill the No. 3 receiver role heading into the 2024 season. All-Pro Justin Jefferson is the team's unquestioned No. 1, with second-year man Jordan Addison settling in as the No. 2 after a strong rookie campaign in 2023. K.J. Osborn left for the New England Patriots in free agency this offseason. Tight end T.J. Hockenson is coming off a torn ACL, so Powell could see more looks early on in 2024 if he actually wins the No. 3 job in training camp this summer. The 28-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Florida set career-highs in catches (29) and receiving yards (324) with one touchdown in 17 games (two starts) in his first year in Minnesota in 2023.