All Things 2026 Minnesota Vikings Off-Season Thread

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Ope3 said:
Wake me up when it's Labor Day.
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Noooooo!!

I love the next 2-3 months; the NFL owns the calendar still, and the NHL is cranking up for the playoffs, NHL trade deadline, playoff push, etc.

Throw in March Madness as a little lite dessert and what more could you want?!
 

Ogie Ogilthorpe said:
Noooooo!!

I love the next 2-3 months; the NFL owns the calendar still, and the NHL is cranking up for the playoffs, NHL trade deadline, playoff push, etc.

Throw in March Madness as a little lite dessert and what more could you want?!
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The NFL is dead to me until Labor Day when it is then reborn.

I can't wait to miss the Draft.
 


Ope3 said:
The NFL is dead to me until Labor Day when it is then reborn.

I can't wait to miss the Draft.
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You're crazy. This is the only time of the year that Vikings fans can have real hope.
 


Slim Tubby said:
You're crazy. This is the only time of the year that Vikings fans can have real hope.
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If it floats your boat, good on you. It doesn't impact my hope one way or another.

Discussing/speculatiing about player acquisitions just bores the bejeezus out of me.

It's the games that interest me or results from previous places contests.

I broke that axiom in this forum when ARodg was a Free Agent last winter spring. Even though everything I laid out proved true as the fossil crumbled in January, I consider it a Pyrrhic victory at best.
 

Ope3 said:
If it floats your boat, good on you. It doesn't impact my hope one way or another.

Discussing/speculatiing about player acquisitions just bores the bejeezus out of me.

It's the games that interest me or results from previous places contests.

I broke that axiom in this forum when ARodg was a Free Agent last winter spring. Even though everything I laid out proved true as the fossil crumbled in January, I consider it a Pyrrhic victory at best.
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It was sarcasm, but I do really enjoy the roster building aspects for the Vikings probably as much as their real games. It's a lot like Fantasy Football. The Drafts/Trades and building your roster are at least half the fun of playing for me.
 

Slim Tubby said:
It was sarcasm, but I do really enjoy the roster building aspects for the Vikings probably as much as their real games. It's a lot like Fantasy Football. The Drafts/Trades and building your roster are at least half the fun of playing for me.
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Well, it's obviously different when you are the GM of your FFL franchise.

Even that though I found exhausting. My last Draft I took kickers on consecutive late round picks, only to find out later their Byes were the same week.

Been undefeated now for over 25 years.
 

Ope3 said:
Well, it's obviously different when you are the GM of your FFL franchise.

Even that though I found exhausting. My last Draft I took kickers on consecutive late round picks, only to find out later their Byes were the same week.

Been undefeated now for over 25 years.
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Your first problem is that you only drafted two (2) kickers. 😉
 




I guess I'm not really that concerned about the offseason thoughts of someone who lies about the objective fact that the Wilfs are top owners in the league and lies about the objective fact that Rodgers had a much better 2025 season than anyone was thinking he would have.


As the Wilfs correctly said, this is a pivotal offseason. We need to nail this draft, hire a GM, and nail this offseason, bringing in a QB who can compete for the starting job in 26 (Cousins).
 

GopherGrit said:
I guess I'm not really that concerned about the offseason thoughts of someone who lies about the objective fact that the Wilfs are top owners in the league and lies about the objective fact that Rodgers had a much better 2025 season than anyone was thinking he would have.


As the Wilfs correctly said, this is a pivotal offseason. We need to nail this draft, hire a GM, and nail this offseason, bringing in a QB who can compete for the starting job in 26 (Cousins).
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I said prior to the season that Rodger would likely lead the Steelers to the Playoffs and likely fail to win once there. Facts.

Also a fact (per SKOR North) since the Wilfs took over the Vikings in 2005 only 4 franchises have won fewer Playoff games (3) than the Vikings:

Lions
Browns
Raiders
Dolphins

Brutal. Rudderless.
 

GopherGrit said:
I guess I'm not really that concerned about the offseason thoughts of someone who lies about the objective fact that the Wilfs are top owners in the league and lies about the objective fact that Rodgers had a much better 2025 season than anyone was thinking he would have.


As the Wilfs correctly said, this is a pivotal offseason. We need to nail this draft, hire a GM, and nail this offseason, bringing in a QB who can compete for the starting job in 26 (Cousins).
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I fear PA and kfan might be in the media business for money and not reporting facts about the local sports teams.
 



GopherGrit said:
Since they started taking 14 teams in the 2020 season (the season immediately after the Vikings last won a playoff games), 6-8 franchises win playoff games every year, depending on if the #1 seeds win or lose in the divisional in each conference.

Therefore, your 22 stat is actually nothing special at all. It's not really meaningful.
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Thanks for pointing out that since 2020 the opportunities to win Playoff games increased from minimum of 4 teams to now 6, the franchise the Wilfs own have still failed to Win such a contest. Now the only teams with greater futility did it when the field was only 6 teams per conference.

I find failing to do what more than 68% of the other NFL Teams have done since 2020 quite meaningful.

It means the Viking faithful have been deprived of celebrating taking 1 step closer to achieving a Super Bowl.

Zero opportunities for fans to watch the Purple in the Divisional Round/Final 8.

6 failures of not even getting a sniff of breaking this streak:

Twins/Vikings/Wild/Wolves Championship appearance drought tracker

With the NFL season officially over, it’s now been a combined 97 seasons since any of them went to a championship game/series. The teams are 0-7 since then in chances to go to their championship.
gopherhole.com gopherhole.com
 
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Ope3 said:
Thanks for pointing out that since 2020 the opportunities to win Playoff games increased from minimum of 4 teams to now 6, the franchise the Wilfs own have still failed to Win such a contest. Now the only teams with greater futility did it when the field was only 6 teams per conference.

I find failing to do what more than 68% of the other NFL Teams have done since 2020 quite meaningful.

It means the Viking faithful have been deprived of celebrating taking 1 step closer to achieving a Super Bowl.

6 failures of not even getting a sniff of breaking this streak:

Twins/Vikings/Wild/Wolves Championship appearance drought tracker

With the NFL season officially over, it’s now been a combined 97 seasons since any of them went to a championship game/series. The teams are 0-7 since then in chances to go to their championship.
gopherhole.com gopherhole.com
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At the risk of wading into this pool hip deep, I have to admit I find the "playoff wins" barometer kind of a wonky one.

Would any of us feel any differently about the state of the 2026 Minnesota Vikings, or the coaching staff, or the ownership group (or even the now-departed GM) had they beaten a shitty NY Giants team in the Wildcard round a couple years ago?
 

Ogie Ogilthorpe said:
At the risk of wading into this pool hip deep, I have to admit I find the "playoff wins" barometer kind of a wonky one.

Would any of us feel any differently about the state of the 2026 Minnesota Vikings, or the coaching staff, or the ownership group (or even the now-departed GM) had they beaten a shitty NY Giants team in the Wildcard round a couple years ago?
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Depends on how they would have played the following week against the 49ers in 2022.

We'll never know, because they lost to that "shitty NY Giants team" (at the Zygi Dome) which is really quite damning in and of itself.

The fact that KOC lost to that crew diminishes the confidence that he has what it takes to lead the Vikings to an NFC Championship.
 
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Ogie Ogilthorpe said:
At the risk of wading into this pool hip deep, I have to admit I find the "playoff wins" barometer kind of a wonky one.

Would any of us feel any differently about the state of the 2026 Minnesota Vikings, or the coaching staff, or the ownership group (or even the now-departed GM) had they beaten a shitty NY Giants team in the Wildcard round a couple years ago?
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hard as winning playoff games entirely changes the viewpoint on a roster/player, which is also part of why I chuckle when people say owners have any idea what they're doing as they make emotional decisions just like the rest of us.

Had they beaten the Rams last year, Darnold is probably still your QB. Same as if you near a Super Bowl, maybe you have a little easier time recruiting FAs who see how close you are (again, players also do things emotionally).

Winning a single game, for me, probably doesn't change the feeling of pain of being a lifelong Vikings fan, but I imagine I'd probably feel a little more hope if we had some amount of postseason success (same as watching the Wild)
 

upnorthkid said:
hard as winning playoff games entirely changes the viewpoint on a roster/player, which is also part of why I chuckle when people say owners have any idea what they're doing as they make emotional decisions just like the rest of us.

Had they beaten the Rams last year, Darnold is probably still your QB. Same as if you near a Super Bowl, maybe you have a little easier time recruiting FAs who see how close you are (again, players also do things emotionally).

Winning a single game, for me, probably doesn't change the feeling of pain of being a lifelong Vikings fan, but I imagine I'd probably feel a little more hope if we had some amount of postseason success (same as watching the Wild)
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The 2024 Vikings had two chances to get to the Divisional Round and came up small both times.

Season ender at Detroit they got run out of Ford Field, in what was a game to determine the NFC North Winner, a Bye and Home Field. They could not do what Washington did just two weeks later, defeat the Lions in their own crib.

A week later they got throttled by the LA Rams on a neutral field.

Winning either would have increased the temptation to run it back with Darnold.
 




GophersInIowa said:
View attachment 42262
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I did a Spielman and traded down with every offer made and ended up with 12 players this year, and 11 additional picks in 2027.

And to further Spielman it, I confused Kaleb Proctor with Kadyn Proctor and selected him with our last pick, really surprised that he was available.

1770667664919.png
 

Unregistered User said:
I did a Spielman and traded down with every offer made and ended up with 12 players this year, and 11 additional picks in 2027.

And to further Spielman it, I confused Kaleb Proctor with Kadyn Proctor and selected him with our last pick, really surprised that he was available.

View attachment 42263
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LOL. And now when you trade those 10 2nd-4th round picks next year, you can achieve owning the entire 3rd round of the 2028 draft.
 


Ope3 said:
I said prior to the season that Rodger would likely lead the Steelers to the Playoffs and likely fail to win once there. Facts.

Also a fact (per SKOR North) since the Wilfs took over the Vikings in 2005 only 4 franchises have won fewer Playoff games (3) than the Vikings:

Lions
Browns
Raiders
Dolphins

Brutal. Rudderless.
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Now do total times since 2015 season making the playoffs.

See, I can fabricate meaningless metrics too!


Also for your metric, any team that gets a bye past the Wild Card round should automatically get to count that as a playoff win. Otherwise you're foolishly and unfairly penalizing a team for being too good.

Therefore, Vikings get two more playoff wins for 2009 and 2017.
 

Ope3 said:
Thanks for pointing out that since 2020 the opportunities to win Playoff games increased from minimum of 4 teams to now 6, the franchise the Wilfs own have still failed to Win such a contest. Now the only teams with greater futility did it when the field was only 6 teams per conference.

I find failing to do what more than 68% of the other NFL Teams have done since 2020 quite meaningful.

It means the Viking faithful have been deprived of celebrating taking 1 step closer to achieving a Super Bowl.

Zero opportunities for fans to watch the Purple in the Divisional Round/Final 8.

6 failures of not even getting a sniff of breaking this streak:

Twins/Vikings/Wild/Wolves Championship appearance drought tracker

With the NFL season officially over, it’s now been a combined 97 seasons since any of them went to a championship game/series. The teams are 0-7 since then in chances to go to their championship.
gopherhole.com gopherhole.com
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It proves that it's a contrived, fabricated way to measure "success".

In only 3 seasons, if things fall perfectly, you can have 18-24 different franchises win playoff games.

Three years. Whoopty doo
 

GopherGrit said:
It proves that it's a contrived, fabricated way to measure "success".

In only 3 seasons, if things fall perfectly, you can have 18-24 different franchises win playoff games.

Three years. Whoopty doo
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The Vikings have not been one of those 6-8 teams to advance for six seasons running.

That SUCKS.

68% of the NFL has accomplished that. The Vikings are part of the 32% failures.
 

GopherGrit said:
Now do total times since 2015 season making the playoffs.

See, I can fabricate meaningless metrics too!
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The Vikings only making the Playoffs 4 times since 2015 at least achieves mediocrity when compared to the other NFC Teams. They rank Tied for 8th with the Saints amongst the 16 Teams.

You can choose to celebrate mediocrity to whatever your heart desires.

GopherGrit said:
Also for your metric, any team that gets a bye past the Wild Card round should automatically get to count that as a playoff win. Otherwise you're foolishly and unfairly penalizing a team for being too good.

Therefore, Vikings get two more playoff wins for 2009 and 2017.
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There is no credit for Playoff Wins by getting a Bye. Detroit does not get one for 2024 in my book. Advancing to the Divisional Round would be a separate metric, as it's quite possible in 2009 & 2017 the Vikings would have lost to the #7 seeds.

As a brief exploration of the "Advancing to the Divisional Round", in the past 3 seasons each of the other NFC North teams (Bears, Lions & Packers) have reached the achievement, while the Vikings have failed, just as they also did the 3 seasons before that.

No excitement in January for Vikings fans in games that would have advanced them 1 step closer to playing in February.

Feeble.
 

GopherGrit said:
It proves that it's a contrived, fabricated way to measure "success".

In only 3 seasons, if things fall perfectly, you can have 18-24 different franchises win playoff games.

Three years. Whoopty doo
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Ope3 said:
The Vikings have not been one of those 6-8 teams to advance for six seasons running.

That SUCKS.

68% of the NFL has accomplished that. The Vikings are part of the 32% failures.
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Ope3 said:
The Vikings only making the Playoffs 4 times since 2015 at least achieves mediocrity when compared to the other NFC Teams. They rank Tied for 8th with the Saints amongst the 16 Teams.

You can choose to celebrate mediocrity to whatever your heart desires.



There is no credit for Playoff Wins by getting a Bye. Detroit does not get one for 2024 in my book. Advancing to the Divisional Round would be a separate metric, as it's quite possible in 2009 & 2017 the Vikings would have lost to the #7 seeds.

As a brief exploration of the "Advancing to the Divisional Round", in the past 3 seasons each of the other NFC North teams (Bears, Lions & Packers) have reached the achievement, while the Vikings have failed, just as they also did the 3 seasons before that.

No excitement in January for Vikings fans in games that would have advanced them 1 step closer to playing in February.

Feeble.
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Wilfs!
 

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