INDIANAPOLIS — As the Vikings descend upon Indianapolis this week for the 2025 NFL Combine, they find themselves in a familiar position.
Just last year, the Vikings were the first domino that needed to fall when Kirk Cousins was set to become a free agent. It’s a similar story this year with Sam Darnold possibly going into market in a couple of weeks.
The conversations in bars and restaurants in Indianapolis over the next week will inform the Vikings as they make their decision. They also will shape roster construction across the NFL as a whole over the next couple of months.
Here are five questions the Vikings must answer at the NFL Combine:
What is the plan for Sam Darnold?
The starting point for the Vikings is deciding whether they want Darnold to be their starting quarterback next season.
If the answer is yes, the Vikings have options. They could either place the franchise tag on him, which would cost them roughly $40 million next season, or they could negotiate a contract extension with him, which would more than likely carry a similar price tag.
There is also a possibility that the Vikings could place the franchise tag on Darnold and then try to trade him to the highest bidder. That would ensure they get something for Darnold rather than lose him for nothing in free agency.
The deadline for the Vikings to use the franchise tag is March 4. That’s why this week at the NFL Combine so important for them as the they try to gather as much information as possible before making a decision.
Where is J.J. McCarthy in his recovery process?
All the reports coming out about J.J. McCarthy seem to indicate he’s ahead of schedule in his recovery surgery to repair a torn meniscus.
Not only was McCarthy back on the field last month, according to both head coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, he himself raved about his progress during an appearance the “Rich Eisen Show” that made some waves on social media.
Would the Vikings be comfortable simply handing the keys to McCarthy next season? That’s something they need to figure out. It’s the most important position on the field.
Is a contract extension coming for Adofo-Mensah?
It’s been more than a month since O’Connell signed a lucrative contract extension that will keep him with the Vikings for the foreseeable future.
It’s curious that Adofo-Mensah still hasn’t received a contract extension of his own.
What’s the biggest reason for the impasse? Is it simply a case of ironing out minor details? Or does ownership intend to move forward with Adofo-Mensah as a lame duck needing to prove himself in free agency and next months NFL Draft?
Those are questions that will most certainly come up when Adofo-Mensah steps into the spotlight at the NFL Combine on Tuesday.
What are the top priorities in free agency?
There’s no doubt that O’Connell wants the Vikings to improve the interior of the offensive line. He made that very clear after the Vikings were dominated in the trenches throughout their playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Will the Vikings swing for the fences with somebody like Trey Smith, the best guard on the market who is about to get the bag, or will they set their sights on somebody like Will Fries, a proven guard who will cost much less?
Some other players the Vikings could look at adding include Milton Williams, who would infuse some talent to the interior of the defensive line, or D.J. Reed, a proven cornerback who could step right into a starting spot.
There will be a ton of informal meetings over drinks this week in Indianapolis; that should give the Vikings a good idea where they stand with free agency looming.
How many of the pending unrestricted free agents will be back?
Some of notable pending unrestricted free agents aside from Darnold include running back Aaron Jones, and defensive backs Byron Murphy Jr., and Cam Bynum, among a handful of others.
There seems to be mutual interest in a reunion with Jones. He emphasized after the playoff loss that he wants to finish his career as a member of the Vikings, so it will likely come down to how much money he’s looking after an extremely productive campaign.
The same goes for Murphy and Bynum. Both players are going to garner a lot of interest if they hit free agency, so the Vikings will almost certainly have to win a bidding war to retain their services.
As the Vikings evaluate draft prospects at the NFL Combine, they will have to ask themselves if they’d rather pay proven players like Jones, Murphy, and Bynum, or try to add some unproven players that won’t cost nearly as much.
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