It is now officially Super Bowl or bust for the Minnesota Vikings in 2018

With the big-time free-agent signings of Kirk Cousins and Sheldon Richardson, the Minnesota Vikings are putting all their chips on the table for 2018.

The question was thrown out there after the Minnesota Vikings officially signed quarterback Kirk Cousins last Thursday.

“Is it now Super Bowl or bust for the Vikings in 2018?”

With Cousins agreeing to a three-year contract, there were some arguments that could have been made against this immediately being the case for Minnesota next season.

Ultimately, the Vikings are hoping that the quarterback will help lead them to at least one Super Bowl win over the next three years. But the move didn’t necessarily show that the team is doing everything they can to win a championship in 2018.

However, that quickly changed on Friday.

In addition to Cousins, Minnesota was also able to land free-agent defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. The Vikings and Richardson agreed to a one-year deal that will pay him at least $8 million this season.

Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota could have taken the safe route after signing Cousins and put the rest of their offseason focus into re-signing some players from their 2017 roster and giving others extensions. But by also adding Richardson to their roster on Friday, the Vikings’ effort to capture the franchise’s first Lombardi trophy is now arguably higher than it has ever been before.

Like it or not, it truly is Super Bowl or bust for Minnesota in 2018. Anything less will be seen as a failed season.

But what if the Vikings make it all the way to the Super Bowl next season, but are unable to win? That’s still a successful year, right?

Nope, still a failed season considering the moves Minnesota has made in free agency so far.

The Vikings got a taste of what it was like to be so close to a championship last year and they’re doing everything they can to make sure the team goes even farther in 2018.

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Is it a big risk? Of course, but Minnesota obviously feels that these are the moves that can take them all the way to the top of the NFL mountain in 2018.