Why The Competitive Rebuilding Of The Vikings Was Better Than Refueling

February 25, 2025; Indianapolis, in, US; Minnesota Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine in the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn images

For the 2024 season, many Vikings fans called for a tank. “We have no chance to win a super bowl with Sam Darnold as our quarterback,” the logic went, “so we just have to take a year off and save our cap space for 2025.”

In the end, Sam Darnold’s collapse played an important role in the first round play-off exit of the Vikings in the late season (after an excellent regular season). Indeed, as the doubters predicted, the Vikings did not succeed in winning in a super bowl.

June 10, 2025; Minneapolis, MN, US; Minnesota Vikings Linebacker Andrew van Ginkel (43), Linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) and Linebacker Dallas Turner (15) talk during Minicamp in the training facility of Minnesota Vikings. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn imagn images

Nevertheless, the current schedule of the Vikings shows why the Front Office strategy of a “competitive rebuild” was so much better than a tank. At the start of the low season of 2024, the Vikings signed Three free agents who would play the leading role in the defensive revival of the team: Edge Jonathan Greenard, Edge Andrew van Ginkel and LB Blake Cashman.

In principle, the Vikings could have chosen to save the cap dollars that they spent on those free agents before 2025. But if they did, they would now have to try to find replacements for Greenard, Van Ginkel and Cashman: two Pro Bowlers and someone who could have been a Pro -Bowler very well. Such talent is extremely difficult to find in a free desk, regardless of how much cap -space you have.

This lies the problem with the strategy of tanking: in stock of cap -space and/or target capital costs talent. And the start of the caliber is scarce in the NFL, which means that even if you have the capital to pay it, you may not be able to find it.

If an extreme hypothetical, you could imagine a team that the lion’s share of their CAP room wants to devote to the most important position of QB. After all, teams with the best QBs win the most games, so if a $ 50 million QB can win 13 games, imagine how many games a QB of $ 100 million can win!

There is little doubt that a QB that is twice as valuable as Lamar Jackson could win the Super Bowl every year. The problem is that such a QB does not exist (and they will never do that).

September 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, US; New York Giants Offensive Tackle Andrew Thomas (78) Pass protects against Minnesota Vikings Linebacker Blake Cashman (51) during the second half at the Metlife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Moreover, bringing in new players (especially through the concept) will always entail a greater degree of risk than to keep players in your team. Players who excel in the system of another team can struggle in yours, and players who dominate the college often cannot adapt to the speed of the NFL.

As a result, the signing of talented players for multi -year deals and the expansion of top players who are already in your team is the most certain way to build a future competition. During the low season of 2024, the Vikings hit the lottery with their defensive signing sessions, and now they can pick the benefits of those signing sessions for the coming years.

The reality is that the 2025 Vikings are also very unlikely to win the Super Bowl – only one team in 32 will get that honor. But because of their competitive rebuilding, they have built up in a serious competition, and that is where every super bowl -run has to start.