The Minnesota Vikings have several questions to address as the 2026 offseason approaches.
The Minnesota Vikings ended the 2025 season on a five-game winning streak, finishing 9-8. But their playoff hopes ended on Dec. 14 with four games left to play. That means there will have to be a multitude of moves made to get this team back to the playoffs in a competitive NFC North.
Questions surround the offense, but Brian Flores' future could bring more personnel changes. His scheme helped elevate a unit that didn't have many superstars. If he departs, depth becomes key at several positions that his scheme may have masked.
Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have performed well in the regular season since being hired in 2022. They have gone 43-25 (.632 winning percentage), winning the division once and making the playoffs twice. But postseason success has eluded them, as they've lost in the Wild Card round as favorites in each playoff trip.
Here are five questions that need to be answered as the Vikings enter the 2026 offseason.
1. Who will replace Brian Flores if he leaves?
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores' contract is up after the season. Teams with head coaching vacancies will target him. If he gets hired elsewhere, who replaces him? Defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator Daronte Jones would likely be eligible for promotion. But Raheem Morris, fired by the Falcons on Sunday, could be an option as well. Morris served as defensive coordinator for the 2021 Rams when O'Connell was on the staff.
2. Just how aggressive will the quarterback search be?
O'Connell was noncommittal about J.J. McCarthy being his starting quarterback in 2026. The Vikings are almost certainly going to bring in another quarterback to compete with McCarthy. But will they try trading for someone like Mac Jones? Would a reunion with Kirk Cousins be on the books? Or will they go big and try to trade for someone like Matthew Stafford or Lamar Jackson?
3. Will there be a shake-up in the front office?
The Vikings aren't firing O'Connell, and it appears as though Adofo-Mensah is safe. But the failure to make the playoffs after an aggressive 2025 offseason looks worse after letting Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones walk. Draft failures over the past four seasons also loom large. Is Ryan Grigson, the Vikings' assistant manager, going to take the fall? Will the team shake up their scouting department?
4. What are the plans at center?
Minnesota signed Ryan Kelly last March to bring a veteran presence to the center position in hopes of helping McCarthy. But Kelly battled numerous injuries in 2025, missing eight games due to concussions and another because of an ankle injury. Kelly was the Vikings' highest-graded offensive player on PFF (82.2), but he will be 33 when the 2026 season begins. Minnesota had Michael Jurgens and Blake Brandel fill in admirably, but they will likely look for more stability.
5. What will they do with Hockenson?
T.J. Hockenson hasn't been the same since he suffered an ACL injury on Christmas Eve 2023. He has only played 25 games since, catching 128 passes for 893 yards and three touchdowns. His contract raises questions about his future with the Vikings. He has a $21.355 million cap hit coming in 2026. Some of his struggles in 2025 could be attributed to quarterback play, but Hockenson lacked the burst and consistency necessary to justify his four-year, $66 million contract. Will he and the Vikings restructure the deal to be more team-friendly, or will they trade or cut him?