This has been a strange season for the Minnesota Vikings. Injuries altered expectations of what could have been, but the purple and gold are still finishing the season strong with a big win streak despite the setbacks.
Since the Vikings won't be participating in the postseason this year, the team's biggest hope was to see development from young quarterback J.J. McCarthy. That plan fell through when the former Michigan standout injured his hand.
Now, fans are wondering what Minnesota will do this offseason. Signing players in free agency will be tough to do since the team has limited salary cap space, so the focus shifts to the prospects who will enter the 2026 NFL Draft.
Where do the Minnesota Vikings sit in the 2026 NFL Draft order after their Week 17 win over the Detroit Lions?
The win streak for the Vikings feels good, but it has hurt their draft position. The team has four consecutive victories with one game remaining against the Green Bay Packers to finish the schedule. With their rivals across the state border expected to rest many of their key players, that streak could easily extend to five wins.
After their Week 17 win over the Detroit Lions, Minnesota holds the No. 17 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft for the time being. They are one of four teams that currently have an 8-8 record. The Indianapolis Colts are the only non-playoff team that would pick after Minnesota in the current draft order.
A win against the Packers and a loss by the Colts could move the team into the No. 18 overall spot. Since Green Bay will probably sit many of their players and Indianapolis is playing the Houston Texans, that is a situation that could likely happen.
A loss to the Packers would ensure that the Vikings have at least the No. 17 overall pick since the Colts wouldn't be able to move ahead of Minnesota. However, keeping an eye on the Lions and Baltimore Ravens would become important since they are the other 8-8 teams through Week 17.
There is plenty of debate about what Minnesota should do with its 2026 first-round pick. Whether you believe the Vikings should look to improve the defensive secondary, fortify the offensive line, add another offensive weapon, or something else, the team will know in less than a week what pick they will own in the 2026 NFL Draft.