The Minnesota Vikings have finalized their 53-man roster and practice squad, and general manager Nolan Teasley has done a solid job navigating the offseason process. From training camp to finding players on the waiver wire, Teasley put together a competitive group. But now that the roster is set, we can take a step back and evaluate which position groups have genuine concerns heading into the 2026 season.

There are four areas worth monitoring closely as we move toward the Vikings’ first game against the Green Bay Packers.

Running back 

Aaron Jones is always a good player when he’s healthy. Jordan Mason is solid as well, but if Jones goes down, there are serious questions about how strong this unit can be as a whole throughout the entirety of a season.

There are real questions about pass protection and versatility in the backfield. Demond Claiborne was drafted, but he isn’t exactly a beacon of light when it comes to being a pass receiver and a pass protector. He’s very fast, but is that all he has to offer? Being that he’s a rookie, we don’t know yet.

It would be nice to have another player you can trust to do multiple things in the backfield, and right now the Vikings don’t. Third downs are going to be interesting this season.

Edge rusher

After Tyler Batty went down with a torn ACL, the depth at edge rusher became even thinner, and it’s very concerning going into the season with that little depth.

Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel are both very good players, but Minnesota can’t trust anyone to do much of anything beyond those two starters. The Vikings can’t ask them to play an extra 400 snaps, nor can they ask them to play 100% of snaps on a week-in-week-out basis. They need to add somebody to that room, and fast.

Kyle Van Noy appears to be coming in for a visit, and he would be a perfect complement to what the Vikings have in that room. He’s played extensively under defensive coordinator Brian Flores and can play well both on and off the ball.

Safety

Outside of Josh Metellus, there is no certainty at the safety position. Jay Ward is someone who appears to be emerging, but Theo Jackson has been a disappointment. Both Jakobe Thomas and Jacob Thomas are far from proven as rookies.

The real question is how this room is going to shape out. Will Harrison Smith end up returning? That is another question mark. How this position group develops will be massive in determining how good this team can actually be in 2026.

Quarterback

We know all the noise surrounding J.J. McCarthy, and that noise is not going to stop until there is an actual resolution. Until then, the Vikings have to stay relatively ambiguous and keep all options on the table. As long as those options remain open, there will be questions.

Minnesota waived Max Brosmer with the idea of putting him on the practice squad, and doing so keeps the door open for a J.J. McCarthy trade. But time is starting to run out.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported that McCarthy has a multi-week ankle injury. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer has indicated that Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell still wants to work with McCarthy. We don’t know what this looks like short or long term.

One thing is for sure: Kyler Murray is going to be the starter. But after Carson Wentz, the No. 3 quarterback remains an unknown.

The Vikings have the talent to compete in 2026, but these four position groups will define just how high their ceiling can reach. Over the course of the next few weeks, expect Teasley and the front office to remain active in addressing at least a few of these concerns before the regular season begins.