Another Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft

With yesterday’s trade with the San Francisco 49ers for running back Jordan Mason, the Minnesota Vikings have set themselves up for a 2025 NFL Draft in which they have few glaring needs. The Vikings entered the offseason with obvious needs on the offensive and defensive lines. They also had needs at cornerback and running back. The additions of center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries addressed the needs on the interior of the offensive line. The additions of defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave addressed the needs on the defensive line. The re-signing of cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. was critical to defensive continuity. The signing of cornerback Isaiah Rodgers might end up being one of the best additions of the offseason. And cornerback was at a position of need. The player additions and retentions through the first week of free agency had the Vikings perhaps positioned to draft a running back in the first round. Despite re-signing Aaron Jones, the position was a need. Jones needed a partner in the backfield. That’s why the trade for Jordan Mason made so much sense. The Vikings sent a 2026 sixth-round pick to the 49ers for Mason. The teams also swapped Day 3 picks this year (a fifth from the Vikings  for a sixth from the 49ers). The 2026 sixth-round pick the Vikings sent to the 49ers was the pick they’d just received from the Houston Texans for Ed Ingram. Essentially the trade with the 49ers was a swap of Ed Ingram for Jordan Mason and an exchange of Day 3 picks this year. Mason should pair nicely with Jones. Running back might still be a need in the draft but the position is now more of a later round need. Perhaps a speedy running back with some unique receiving talent. 

The Vikings are set up nicely for the 2025 NFL Draft. Here’s another stab at the four picks they currently hold. 

1. Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

3. Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia

5. O’Donnell Fortune, CB, South Carolina

6. Marcus Yarns, RB, Delaware

Derrick Harmon has routinely been the pick at #24. It’s so hard to pass on the disruptive interior player. The Vikings bolstered the defensive front with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Both are on the wrong side of 30. They’d be outstanding mentors Harmon. 

Like Harmon on the defensive line, Tate Ratledge would be a talented, young addition on the offensive line. Perhaps, he even starts at left guard as a rookie. That’s the least set position on the offensive line. 

Come draft time, O’Donnell Fortune probably isn’t available in the fifth round. He’s an easy pick here. So is Marcus Yarns in the sixth round. 

Until the next one. 

Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart

The Minnesota Vikings were scheduled to lose nearly half of their 2024 roster. That situation promised an active offseason. Through the first week of free agency, the Vikings did not disappoint. Here’s a look at the Vikings depth chart after an eventful first week of the offseason.

Minnesota Vikings 2025 Depth Chart (62)

Offense (27)

Quarterbacks (2)

  9 J.J McCarthy

19 Brett Rypien

Running Backs (3)

33 Aaron Jones

32 Ty Chandler

36 Zavier Scott

Fullback (1)

30 C.J. Ham

Receivers (6)

18 Justin Jefferson

  3 Jordan Addison

83 Jalen Nailor

81 Lucky Jackson

82 Jeshaun Jones

89 Thayer Thomas

Tight Ends (2)

87 T.J. Hockenson

84 Josh Oliver

Offensive Linemen (13)

71 Christian Darrsisaw

64 Blake Brandel

     Ryan Kelly

     Will Fries

75 Brian O’Neill

56 Garrett Bradbury

78 Walter Rouse

65 Michael Jurgens

     Justin Skule

     Marcellus Johnson

72 Leroy Watson

     Trevor Reid

68 Henry Byrd

Defense (32) 

Defensive Linemen (8)

97 Harrison Phillips

     Jonathan Allen

     Javon Hargrave

61 Jalen Redmond

50 Levi Drake Rodriguez

94 Taki Taimani 

71 Jonathan Harris

91 Travis Bell 

Outside Linebackers (5)

58 Jonathan Greenard

43 Andrew Van Ginkel

15 Dallas Turner

59 Gabriel Murphy

98 Bo Richter

Inside Linebackers (4)

  0 Ivan Pace Jr.

51 Blake Cashman

     Eric Wilson

  6 Brian Asamoah

45 Max Tooley

Cornerbacks (10)

  7 Byron Murphy Jr.

  5 Mekhi Blackmon

  2 Isaiah Rodgers

29 Dwight McGlothern

36 NaJee Thompson

     Tavierre Thomas

25 Nahshon Wright

     Ambry Thomas

     Reddy Steward 

     Kahlef Hailassie

Safeties (5)

22 Harrison Smith

44 Josh Metellus

26 Theo Jackson

20 Jay Ward

     Bubba Bolden

Special Teams (3)

Kickers (1)

16 Will Reichard

Punter (1)

17 Ryan Wright

Long Snapper (1)

42 Andrew DePaola 

***

It only takes a glance to see that the Vikings still need a backup quarterback. Not Aaron Rodgers. Otherwise, the first week of signings have left this roster in pretty good shape. They really just need overall depth. There’s the rest of the offseason and the draft to deal with that. 

MInnesota Vikings Free Agent Tracker

The Minnesota Vikings have active through the first week of NFL free agency. With only four picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, much of the offseason’s reinforcements had to come through a modest to heavy spending spree. Here’s a look at the Vikings player movement so far.

Re-Signed:

Byron Murphy Jr., CB

Aaron Jones, RB

Theo Jackson, S

Ryan Wright, P

Signed:

Isaiah Rodgers, CB

Jonathan Allen, DT

Ryan Kelly, C

Will Fries, G

Javon Hargrave, DT

Tavierre Thomas, CB

Justin Skyler, OT

Bubba Bolden, S

Players Lost:

Camryn Bynum, S - Indianapolis Colts

Sam Darnold, QB - Seattle Seahawks

Daniel Jones, QB - Indianapolis Colts

Nick Mullens, QB - Jacksonville Jaguars

Patrick Jones, Edge - Carolina Panthers

Johnny Mundt, TE - Jacksonville Jaguars

Unsigned Vikings:

Cam Akers, RB

Jonathan Bullard, DT

Dan Feeney, C

Stephon Gilmore, CB

Shaq Griffin, CB

Kamu Grugier-Hill, LB

Fabian Moreau, CB

Brandon Powell, WR

David Quessenberry, OT

Dalton Risner, G

Cam Robinson, OT

Jerry Tillery, DT

Jihad Ward, Edge

***

The Vikings entered free agency with significant needs on the interiors of the offensive and defensive lines. The early signing flurry that brought in Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Jonathan Allen, and Javon Hargrave aggressively addressed those needs. Needs remain at running back, cornerback, and general depth. The Vikings have done enough in free agency that the few picks they have in the draft might be enough to address any remaining needs. 

He’s Back!

The Minnesota Vikings have done some good things through the initial days of free agency. Solid additions. Solid re-signings. None of those made me as happy as hearing that Harrison Smith is returning for his 14th season. I accept that he’s much closer to the end of his fabulous career than he is to the start. I’m just not ready for the days when #22 isn’t on the field for the Vikings. Welcome back, Harrison Smith!

When it became clear that Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores would return for his third season, I figured that there was a good chance that Harrison Smith would return as well. Player and coach work well together. More importantly, they really enjoy working together. Still, Smith is a man of many interests. I hoped that he wasn’t but there was always a chance he was ready to spend more time with those interests. Technically, Smith was already under contract for the 2025 season. The contract had a league minimum base salary of $1.255 million but he would’ve had a $25 million base salary for 2026 become fully guaranteed if he were on the Vikings’ roster by this weekend. Those terms were essentially a placeholder for a new deal. Smith and the team decided to do that new deal. That deal is reportedly for $11 million. It’s a $10.25 million base with $750,000 in roster bonuses. There’s potential for another $3 million in incentives. 

Harrison Smith’s 14th season could be an historic cap to an already historic career. He’s played 192 regular season games for the Vikings. He needs 10 to surpass Scott Studwell on the team’s career list. If he plays in all 17 games in 2025, Smith will tie Carl Eller for the fourth-most in Vikings history. Harrison Smith has been brilliant each of his 13 seasons. If one wants to measure his career with statistics, he mingles with some of the very best in the history of the league. If Smith can equal in 2025 the three interceptions that he had last year, he’ll join the “40 interceptions, 20 sacks club.” Only Larry Wilson, Charles Woodson, and Ronde Barber are members of that exclusive club. Wilson, Woodson, and Barber are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Smith is already a member in the “30 interceptions, 20 sacks club.” That’s a club that only includes the following:

Larry Wilson

Charles Woodson

Ronde Barber

Brian Dawkins

LeRoy Butler

Rodney Harrison

Of those, only Rodney Harrison is the only member without a Gold Jacket and his argument for inclusion is heard annually. Harrison Smith is building a strong Hall of Fame argument of his own. I know that I’m a bit biased but I’ve never seen another safety that routinely does well all of things that Smith does. From front to back, side to side, he routinely makes an impact all over the field. Contemplating his great career is a time for another day. His retirement has been pushed to another day. Today, he’s back for another season. That’s a beautiful thing. Now, it’s time to secure that elusive Super Bowl ring. 

Minnesota Vikings Free Agency: Day 2

Yesterday was Day 2 of the “legal tampering” window of NFL Free Agency. The Minnesota Vikings started the day with a flurry of signings. 

Jonathan Allen, DT

3 years, $60 million

Javon Hargrave, DT

Will Fries, G

5 years, $88 million

The signing of Jonathan Allen got the day started. As a recently released player, he didn’t have the restrictions of the impending unrestricted free agents. He could visit teams. Allen arrived at TCO Performance Center on Monday and met with Vikings decision-makers. His signing was announced early Tuesday morning. There’s no waiting for today’s start of the new league year. He’s officially with the Vikings now. 

It didn’t take long for the Vikings to add a defensive linemate for Jonathan Allen. Soon after the reports of Allen’s signing came the news that the Vikings were nearing a deal with Javon Hargrave. The San Francisco 49ers had already announced that Hargrave would be released at the start of the new league year. Apparently the Vikings won’t let him be out of work for long. Considering the nature of this agreement, no contract details have been released. 

The Vikings signed Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly on Monday. Perhaps that played a role in the Tuesday signing of Kelly’s Colts teammate. When the Kansas City Chiefs used the franchise tag to secure Trey Smith, Will Fries was elevated to the best available guard. He had a lot of suitors. It was rumored on Monday that he was near a deal with the New York Giants. By Tuesday morning, the Vikings had Fries on their side. Did the prospect of continuing his NFL career next to good friend Kelly play a role? 

The Vikings entered this offseason prioritizing improvements on the offensive and defensive fronts. Their actions over the past two days met those priorities. 

The Minnesota Vikings new offensive line:

Christian Darrisaw, LT

Blake Brandel, LG

Ryan Kelly, C

Will Fries, RG

Brian O’Neill, RT

On paper, that’s the best Vikings offensive line since the days of Steve Hutchinson.

The Minnesota Vikings new defensive line rotation:

Jonathan Allen

Javon Hargrave

Harrison Phillips

Jalen Redmond

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Taki Taimani

Brian Flores and the defensive coaches now have some fun, talented players along the defensive line. 

The signing of Jonathan Allen is official. He’s already part of the roster on the Vikings website. The signings of Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Javon Hargrave, and Monday’s signing of cornerback Isaiah Rodgers aren’t official until the start of the new league year this afternoon at 1pm PT. 

Minnesota Vikings Free Agency: Day 1+

Through one day, and a few hours, of the “legal tampering period of NFL free agency, the Minnesota Vikings have done some stuff. They signed three new players and retained one of their own. 

Signed:

Isaiah Rodgers, CB, Philadelphia Eagles

2 years/$15 million

Ryan Kelly, C, Indianapolis Colts

2 years/$18 million

Jonathan Allen, DT, Washington Commanders

3 years/$60 million

Re-Signed:

Byron Murphy Jr., CB

3 years/$66 million

The Minnesota Vikings were fairly busy on the first day of the league’s tampering period. The first news of the day was that recently released, former Washington Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen was visiting the Vikings. That was huge news as the Vikings clearly needed to bolster the interior of their defensive line. He arrived at TCO Performance Center in the afternoon. Late in the day, it was reported that negotiations were progressing and that Allen was spending the night in the Minnesota. Then came today’s early morning news that he was signing a three-year deal. There are a few nice things about the signing of Jonathan Allen. 1) As a released player, he can sign right away. There’s no waiting until Wednesday for this deal to be made official. 2) As a released player, the signing doesn’t factor into the formula for Compensatory Picks. And 3) He’s an excellent interior defensive lineman. The Vikings haven’t had one of those for a long time. 

The first signing of the first day was the signing of cornerback Isaiah Rodgers. He’s coming off a Super Bowl-winning season with the Philadelphia Eagles. At 5’10” and 170 lbs, he isn’t big but he is fast. When needed, Rodgers played starter quality snaps. If the Eagles hadn’t selected corners with their first two picks in last year’s draft, Rodgers might’ve started the entire season and re-signed with the Eagles. Instead, he’s an under-the-radar signing of the Vikings. The only real blemish on his NFL resume’ is that he was suspended for the entire 2023 season for gambling. That shows some very questionable decision-making. Hopefully, he’s learned from it. 

It was in the afternoon that the Vikings addressed their significant need of strengthening the interior of the offensive line. This was the signing of center Ryan Kelly. He had an outstanding nine-year run with the Indianapolis Colts. This signing throws in serious doubt the future of Garrett Bradbury. He’s been the Vikings starting center since he was drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. I’ve seen a mention that perhaps he can shift positions and compete with Blake Brandel for the left guard spot. Who knows? What is known is that Kelly improves the Vikings interior offensive line. Now, the Vikings need to sign a right guard. Kelly’s Colts teammate, Will Fries please. 

The signing of Isaiah Rodgers and Ryan Kelly won’t be official until Wednesday afternoon. 

Signing your own free agents doesn’t generate the heat of signing new free agents. The re-signing of cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. was the Vikings biggest deal of the first day. This was a priority re-signing and the Vikings got it done. 

Now, it’s on to Day 2. The early morning signing of Jonathan Allen was an outstanding start. 

Minnesota Vikings Signings

The Minnesota Vikings took care of some internal business in advance of the free agency chaos of today’s “legal tampering” period. Yesterday, the Vikings announced a couple signings.

Aaron Jones, RB

2 years, $20 million

$13 million guaranteed

Ryan Wright, P

1 year, $1.75 million

Even though he’s passed the age of 30, it’s great to have Aaron Jones back. On and off the field, he was terrific last season. His 255 carries and 1,138 rushing yards were career highs. Jones often dealt with injuries through. While he had a few nicks and aches, Jones started every game for the Vikings. He did wear down as the season neared the final weeks. It’s important that the Vikings add a running back early in the 2025 NFL Draft. With an effective running tandem and an improved offensive line, Jones should be the dynamic back that he has the talent to be for the entire season. 

On the surface, Jones’ deal averages $10 million/year. In reality, it probably averages closer to $6.5 million/year. He gets $11.5 guaranteed at signing, including a $8 million signing bonus. For this year, the deal will carry a $4.8 million cap hit. 

Ryan Wright’s re-signing provides punting stability. Seeing as he had some struggles last season, he’ll surely face some offseason and training camp competition. 

The Vikings are now just hours away from having “legal” negotiation competition for cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., Camryn Bynum, Daniel Jones, and the rest of their soon-to-be free agents. I’m still hopeful for Murphy. 

In addition to Byron Murphy Jr., I’m hoping for the addition of the following players:

Will Fries, G

Jonathan Allen, DT

Paulson Adebo, CB

That would be a nice start for the 2025 offseason.