The Vikings are in the midst of a magical season, improving to 13-2 on Sunday with their eighth consecutive win. They appear to have a genuine Super Bowl ceiling this year. But what’s even more encouraging is that their championship window seems to only be opening. With this coaching staff and organizational infrastructure in place, and with the NFL’s sixth-most cap space in the upcoming offseason, the Vikings have set themselves up to be a marquee free agent destination this spring — and perhaps for several years to come.
Think about all the things this franchise currently has working in its favor. Kevin O’Connell has proven to be one of the best head coaches in the league — a coach players want to go to battle for. He’s going to command a hefty raise on his next contract, but the Wilf family should have no issue shelling that out to keep him around for a long time. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s veteran acquisitions have panned out remarkably well, even if he’s been inconsistent in the draft over the three years since he was hired. The organization boasts top-notch facilities, hands-off ownership, and numerous other factors that have led to top-tier results in the NFLPA’s player satisfaction report cards.
If you were a big-time free agent this spring, why wouldn’t you want to be part of what the Vikings have going on? It’s worked out extremely well for basically every free agent who came on board this year, from Sam Darnold and Aaron Jones to Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Blake Cashman, and so many others. The team’s culture, with O’Connell at the helm, is a real winning edge. Superstar players like Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw are under contract for the long haul. Having won 13 games in two of the last three years — and in much more sustainable fashion this year than in 2022 — the Vikings’ Super Bowl window is very much open…