Minnesota Vikings interim general manager Rob Brzezinski left last week’s draft with a fully stocked cabinet on defense, making four of his first five selections players whom Brian Flores could deploy before too long. Along the way, the club left some meat on the bone, as is the case for every team in every draft.
Minnesota addressed several big spots while leaving a few useful paths unexplored.
So, here’s what the Vikings left on the table from Thursday through Saturday last week.
The Board Offered Help at Key Positions, but the Vikings Chose Otherwise
Folks expected these things to happen — and then they did not.
1. No OLB Replacement after Jonathan Greenard Trade
After six weeks of rumors — the rumors even nailed the correct trade partner — the Vikings pressed the button on a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, sending outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard east in exchange for two 3rd-Rounders. The Eagles also peeled away a 7th-Rounder from Minnesota.
Surely, because that deal happened on Friday, Minnesota would draft an EDGE rusher in Round 3 or 4, right? Nope. How about Rounds 5 through 7? Absolutely not. The Vikings traded Greenard and replaced him with no rookies.
If Minnesota wants more OLB depth for 2026, it must either pursue free agency for a player like Joey Bosa, Von Miller, or Jadeveon Clowney or trade for a more affordable player at the same position.
Brzezinski most notably passed on Jaishawn Barham of Michigan and Dani Dennis-Sutton of Penn State after the Greenard trade.
2. No RB Taken until Round 6
This was going to be the moment, right? The Vikings hadn’t used Round 1, 2, or 3 draft capital on a running back since Alexander Mattison in 2019. Yes, seven years ago. During the draft buildup, they met with Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson a couple of times — a hometown product who vocally expressed his enthusiasm about joining the Vikings. They also sat down with Washington’s Jonah Coleman.
In the end, the Vikings didn’t draft a running back until Round 6. That was Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne, who may be the next Nyheim Hines — or the next De’Von Achane. Players from Round 6 are dice rolls. They don’t usually work out.
All told, Minnesota said “nope” to these rookie halfback options:
- Kaytron Allen
- Kaelon Black
- Jonah Coleman
- Emmett Johnson
- Adam Randall
- Nicholas Singleton
- Mike Washington Jr.
3. Clear-Cut CB for the Future Not Identified
Do you remember Xavier Rhodes? The guy who shut down prime Odell Beckham Jr. in that 2016 Monday Night Football game? He’s the last quarterback drafted by the Vikings to stick around for longer than his rookie contract. Everyone else since 2013 has not been worth the squeeze of a second contract at cornerback.
So, with such a drought in place, Minnesota would probably leave the draft with a cornerback before it’s too late, wouldn’t you think? Wrong. Brzezinski waited until Round 5 to draft Stephen F. Austin’s Charles Demmings, and fans will spend the next few months convincing themselves he can be the real deal. Perhaps he will; perhaps he’s just another 5th-Rounder destined to become a reserve CB in the NFL.
For proper recordkeeping, let it be known that Minnesota wanted nothing to do with these rookie CBs:
- Keith Abney II
- Brandon Cisse
- Tacario Davis
- Daylen Everette
- Jalen Huskey
- Colton Hood
- Davison Igbinosun
- Will Lee III
- Jermod McCoy
- Devin Moore
- Malik Muhammad
- Julian Neal
- D’Angelo Ponds
- Ephesians Prysock
- Chandler Rivers
- Keionte Scott
- Avieon Terrell
4. WRs Ignored
Finally, the wide receiver spot. Jalen Nailor vamoosed in March to Las Vegas. He’s a Raider. The current WR3, Tai Felton, didn’t play much on offense last year. Because of those evidence morsels, coupled with the fact that the Vikings met with several rookie wideouts before the draft, fans assumed Minnesota would spend one of its nine picks on a pass-catcher.
That assumption was wrong. Brzezinski signed undrafted free agent Dillon Bell of Georgia after the draft, but he did not prioritize WR3 as many expected.
These WRs, before the end of Round 4, joined non-Vikings teams:
- Chris Bell
- Skyler Bell
- Germie Bernard
- Denzel Boston
- Zachariah Branch
- Chris Brazzell II
- K.C. Concepcion
- Omar Cooper Jr.
- Caleb Douglas
- Malachi Fields
- Ted Hurst
- Bryce Lance
- Ja’Kobi Lane
- Makai Lemon
- Elijah Sarratt
- De’Zhaun Stribling
- Zavion Thomas
- Brennan Thompson
- Kaden Wetjen
- Antonio Williams
Thankfully, Minnesota apparently has a plan at WR3, as the powers that be of NFL reporting tweeted Tuesday night that free-agent pass-catcher Jauan Jennings will meet with the Vikings. Unless Felton turns into the real deal in a hurry, WR3 is a glaring need. Maybe Jennings was the plan all along.