A year ago at this time, the Minnesota Vikings were one of the busiest teams in the NFL as it pertained to free agency, ultimately doling out close to $270 million in contracts, good for the second-highest amount in the league, trailing only the New England Patriots, who spent more than $364 million and subsequently went to the Super Bowl.
The Vikes, of course, weren't nearly as fortunate, ultimately finishing this past campaign at 8-9, and last year's spending spree put them in a bit of a bind in regard to the salary cap heading into this 2026 offseason.
As such, in addition to being forced to release several high-profile players, Minnesota hasn't been a big player at all when it comes to signing external free agents.
Yes, the Vikings added Kyler Murray. But the only reason they were able to do so is that they could get him for the league minimum of $1.3 million, as the Arizona Cardinals are paying the remainder of his $36.8 million salary.
Outside of Murray, though, the only outside help Minnesota has brought in is cornerback James Pierre and punter Johnny Hekker. And that honestly might be it, as the team doesn't have much cap space left to play with and needs to set aside most of that money for the selections they make in next month's draft.
Exactly what the Vikings do with their nine selections obviously remains to be seen, but our pals over at PFF feel the secondary should be a high priority.
PFF says Minnesota Vikings absolutely must address the secondary in the 2026 NFL Draft
PFF's John Kosko recently opined on the worst-case scenario for each of the 16 NFC teams in the 2026 NFL Draft. And his choice for Minnesota was this: Fail to address the secondary.
"The Vikings' defensive success under their exotic scheme hinges on the secondary's ability to hold coverage long enough for the blitz and creative pressure packages to land.
While the unit generates pressure at the highest rate in the NFL, inconsistent cornerback and safety performance in 2025 allowed too many quick-strike plays, neutralizing the pass rush's effectiveness.
Opposing offenses successfully targeted the Minnesota secondary’s lack of depth and high-end talent, leading to critical breakdowns in key moments.
Without substantial upgrades in coverage, the Vikings' defense will remain vulnerable to being picked apart by high-level quarterbacks who can read and exploit their aggressive scheme.
Investing early in the secondary is essential to maximize the impact of Minnesota’s league-leading pass rush and transform the defense into an elite unit."
Minnesota undoubtedly needs some help in the secondary, more so at the safety position than at cornerback, although adding a little more CB depth wouldn't hurt, even with the addition of Pierre.
Harrison Smith could still return for a 15th season, but even if he does, the Vikings would be wise to use their first-round selection on a safety.
Without Smith, Minnesota's top safety options right now are Josh Metellus, Jay Ward, and Theo Jackson. With all due respect, that's not the most menacing trio in the world, and it's definitely not the one you want in a division that includes Jared Goff, Jordan Love, and Caleb Williams.
Minnesota's first pick in the draft comes at No. 18 overall, and while Ohio State superstar Caleb Downs will be long gone by then, Oregon's Dillon Thieneman and Toledo's Emmanuel McNeil-Warren could both still be on the board, with each having tremendous upside.
As mentioned, the Vikings have nine picks, so if they can grab a safety early and then add even more depth in the later rounds, Brian Flores will likely feel a lot better about that particular group heading into the 2026 campaign.