Vikings Report Card: Analyzing the good, the bad, and the ugly through the first two-thirds of the 2025 season
The Minnesota Vikings report card through 12 weeks is a tough one.
The vibes are at an all-time low for the Minnesota Vikings right now.
Sitting at 4-7 with an injured J.J. McCarthy, it feels like nothing has gone right for the Vikings. They enter the final third of the season looking for answers as they prepare for the future. It’s far from certain they will find any, but the hope is they will.
What have the Vikings looked like this season? Let’s break it down with superlatives and criticisms.
Offensive superlatives
MVP: RB Aaron Jones
This is not a good football team, which makes it harder to pick an MVP, especially given the offensive unit’s struggles. The one player that stands out is Jones.
He’s played in seven of the 11 games for the Vikings, but you can see what he does for the offense. When they prioritize getting him the football, he makes an impact. Jones is averaging 4.9 yards per carry and 8.0 yards per reception. When things get tough, they look to Jones to make a play. Continuing to make him a priority will make a difference for the Vikings.
Glue guy: RG Will Fries
The offensive line has been a huge talking point this season. The Vikings spent the first 10 games having at least one backup starting in every game. On Sunday, they finally got their starting five together. The only player who has been constant is Fries. He’s started every game, and that is an important thing to have.
Biggest surprise: WR Jalen Nailor
Ahead of the season, the Vikings traded significant capital for Adam Thielen to strengthen their wide receiver room, with Jordan Addison set to serve a three-game suspension for his DUI arrest in July of 2024. Thielen hasn’t been good this season, recording multiple drops in minimal snaps and targets. Who has taken a big step forward is Nailor.
Listen, his production hasn’t been there like you’d think based on how he’s getting open nearly every snap. Nailor has 20 catches for 318 yards and two touchdowns, along with a game-sealing catch against the Detroit Lions. He will get paid somewhere next season.
Biggest disappointment: QB J.J. McCarthy
There is no other player who fits the bill. Sure, you could talk about Justin Jefferson, but J.J. McCarthy has been so bad that there are discussions about benching him for UDFA rookie Max Brosmer. He entered the concussion protocol on Monday after self-reporting symptoms after Sunday’s loss against the Green Bay Packers.
He didn’t just have a bad game on Sunday; it was one of the worst single performances in recent memory, with an EPA/drop back of -0.67. It wasn’t just brutal on the stat sheet; it was just as bad to watch. With Brosmer coming in, the Vikings are finally going to get a look at someone else again.
Turning point of the last six weeks: Red zone performance vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The Vikings were 1-6 in the red zone against the Philadelphia Eagles coming out of the bye week. If they had just been average, the Vikings likely would have scored an extra eight points and would have come out of that game with a win over the Eagles.
That could have changed the dynamic of the rest of the season, and a loss against the Packers wouldn’t have been so catastrophic.
Offensive overall grade: D+
Defensive superlatives
MVP: DT Jalen Redmond
Jalen Redmond hasn’t just been the best player on defense; he’s been the best player on the Vikings this season.
Heading into training camp in 2024, Redmond’s signing felt like an afterthought as the 90th man on the roster. He played incredibly well throughout training camp, earning a roster spot and becoming a starter by December.
It’s quite an interesting find for the Vikings, and he’s lived up to it this year. Redmond leads the team with 4.0 sacks and has 28 pressures on just 243 pass rush reps, not to mention 8.0 tackles for loss. Without Redmond, the defense wouldn’t have had the success it has had this year.
Glue guy: DT Jonathan Allen
Things haven’t been perfect with Allen, but he’s provided something for the Vikings that they haven’t had in a long time: consistency at 3T.
The Vikings have been paying Allen to be a bigger difference-maker than he has been, but he’s been solid throughout the season. He has 26 pressures this season and 3.0 sacks while being an anchor on the interior in 538 snaps. If they got more from Allen, he would likely be the MVP, but just being a constant in every game, playing at least 45 snaps in every game except the 38-point blowout against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Biggest surprise: EDGE Dallas Turner
If you’ve been paying attention to my work this season, then Turner wouldn’t be a big surprise. He’s been solid all year, but he’s a surprise on this list based on public perception. Turner has been a constant this season, playing a significantly bigger role this season.
He’s accumulated a whopping 27 pressures on 180 pass rush reps, including 4.0 sacks, and another against the Baltimore Ravens. In coverage, he’s also been really good, impacting passing lanes and getting a pass breakup. Turner has developed really nicely over the last few games, and Vikings fans should be happy about his growth.
Biggest disappointment: S Theo Jackson
The Vikings signed Jackson to a prove-it deal similar to the one they signed Josh Metellus to last year. Well, it hasn’t worked out in the same way. Jackson has played relatively poorly all season. He’s played 448 snaps all year, but against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears, Jackson played just 26 snaps.
He played more against the Packers, likely due to the Metellus injury, and was trying to force Jordan Love to throw short. It worked, but Jackson has not proven he can be an every-down safety in the NFL, which is what they hoped when Cam Bynum left in free agency.
Turning point of the last six weeks: Jonathan Greenard’s injury
It’s not that the Vikings would have won without Greenard, but their play selection was limited without having him in the lineup. If they had Greenard with Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel on the field, it would have opened things up, especially with how much Brian Flores likes to be versatile.
Defensive overall grade: B-
2025 draft class superlatives
Overachiever: DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
The Vikings haven’t had much production from their draft class, mainly because only three players from it are on the active roster.
Donovan Jackson has been a solid starting guard, but it’s Ingram-Dawkins who has been the overachiever. He’s played 146 snaps on defense and been a solid special teams player.
Rookie we need to see more from: WR Tai Felton
He’s been a really good punt gunner for the Vikings, but he hasn’t played a single consequential snap on offense, with just 18 of them coming in garbage time.
He was drafted as a project for wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, and it could work out in time. However, not having a third-round pick contribute at all outside of special teams is frustrating.
Underachiever: ILB Kobe King
It’s odd to have King here, since he’s not on the team anymore. However, the reason he got cut is that he kept getting special teams penalties. He was a steal per the consensus board by 30 slots, and that would have been great for the Vikings. Sometimes, it doesn’t work out.
Draft class overall grade: D+
Coaching report card
Grade: D
O’Connell’s play-calling has been solid throughout the year. However, they have failed massively to develop McCarthy and seemingly don’t know who is actually good on their roster. That’s a big problem!
There is still a lot of hope for this team in the long term. However, the vibes are at an all-time low in the O’Connell era.