When you look at the Minnesota Vikings going into 2026, there are a lot of different opinions out there.

A lot of how the Vikings will be viewed will be determined by who plays quarterback. Kyler Murray is still likely to be named the starting quarterback, while J.J. McCarthy is going to be competing for the job. With their track records, it makes sense why Murray is the favorite.

The interesting element of the NFC North is breaking down all four teams from the perspective of each. With that in mind, all the beat writers got together to explain why they think the Vikings will win the NFC North.

Tyler Forness, Minnesota Vikings beat writer

Simply put, the Vikings were arguably the best team in the division last year. The only thing they didn’t have that cost them dearly was capable quarterback play.

They finished 4-2 in the division, including sweeping the Detroit Lions. They were arguably a single special teams play away against the Chicago Bears from winning the division. They also had the No. 5 overall defense and No. 2 overall pass defense in the NFL.

While there were multiple departures on defense, the Vikings did add Murray and Jauan Jennings on offense, which will be a huge stabilizing factor in taking them to the next level. All they need is base level quarterback play and they can elevate to the next level.

Wendell Ferreira, Green Bay Packers beat writer

We did a projection exercise here last year, and I expected the Vikings to win the division ahead of the 2025 season. The explanation was simple. It was a strong roster, a great offensive infrastructure, and a decent quarterback would make everything work. I don’t necessarily think that projection was bad whatsoever.

The problem was that McCarthy didn’t come close to being a decent quarterback, and it’s unrealistic to win in the NFL, especially in such a hard division, without that baseline of QB play. While I have more questions on the defensive side this year, I still think the offensive environment is strong in Minnesota. If Murray can play like he did in 2021, for example, the Vikings have more than enough talent to be a truly competitive team.

Kole Noble, Chicago Bears beat writer

The QB battle between Murray and McCarthy going into Vikings’ training camp is going to be a huge story for the national media, but let’s be real here. Murray is going to win that battle and it’s not going to be close. McCarthy was one of, if not the, worst starting quarterbacks in the league by nearly every statistical metric. Murray has his flaws as well, but he’s back to full health and has all of the motivation to show out after signing a one-year deal.

Not having consistent quarterback play was the main thing holding the Vikings back last season. Murray can offer major improvements while adding a dynamic play-making ability to Kevin O’Connell’s offense. With improved quarterback play, I could easily see the Vikings being a 14-win team again like they were two seasons ago with Sam Darnold.

Mike Payton, Detroit Lions beat writer

If there’s one thing you can trust about the Vikings, it’s that they have arguably one of the best defensive coordinators in football. The loss of Jonathan Greenard is potentially tough, but you trust, to a degree, that Brian Flores can navigate that loss and still have the Vikings’ defense performing as one of the top units in the game. On top of that, they face the easiest schedule in the NFL when it comes ot defensive DVOA.