The Vikings have meticulously balanced the formula for the past several seasons and will see major dividends next draft. Minnesota landed the highest compensatory pick in this year's draft, No. 97, after letting Kirk Cousins walk in free agency a year ago.

And finally, they traded up in the draft for Michigan's J.J. McCarthy. But things didn't go 100% according to plan. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury during the preseason and in his absence,

As the Vikings begin their offseason program this week, they're now positioning 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy to begin the season as their starting quarterback. McCarthy has said he's recovered from the knee injury that kept him sidelined for his entire rookie season.