The Minnesota Vikings just made some HUGE moves, bringing in a new general manager in Nolan Teasley and, get this, they signed Kyler Murray after the Arizona Cardinals dropped him! On top of that, they drafted Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks in Round 1. This team’s win total sits at 8.5 right now, and with Week 1 against the Packers around the corner, everyone’s watching how these changes will shake out.
Justin Jefferson’s Comeback Season Is Set To Explode
Remember how electric Justin Jefferson was? The guy won Offensive Player of the Year in 2022! But last year, he barely broke 1,000 receiving yards. Why? He was catching passes from J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer, and the Vikings had the NFL’s fifth-worst dropback EPA in 2025. Rough. The good news? With Murray in town, that efficiency HAS to improve. Jefferson has only fallen below 1,150.5 receiving yards twice in six seasons: in 2023 when he missed seven games with a hamstring injury, and last year due to those QB struggles. The “over” for 1,150.5 yards is a solid play. He needs just 103 more yards than last year across the whole schedule. This is the man who put up 1,533 yards in 2024 and led the league with 28 receptions of at least 20 yards! If Murray steps up and restores even a fraction of that downfield juice, Jefferson is clearing this easily.
Aaron Jones Facing a Tough Road Ahead
Now, Aaron Jones. It’s looking like he and Jordan Mason are going to share the RB1 workload, and honestly, the “under” 875.5 scrimmage yards feels like the smarter bet. Why? Jones is turning 32 in December, and let’s be real, 32-year-old running backs don’t usually get *better* with age. He only managed 747 scrimmage yards in 2025, missing five games to injury. Given his history, it wouldn’t be shocking if he missed more time this year. Plus, Jordan Mason was straight-up better last season despite sharing the backfield. Mason racked up 809 scrimmage yards, with 758 rushing yards at 4.8 per carry! Mason already blew past Jones in carries, rushing yards, total scrimmage yards, and yards per attempt in 2025. It feels like the Vikings are committing to that committee approach instead of giving a 31-year-old Jones his 2024 workhorse role back.
As Week 1 approaches with the Packers on the schedule, the big question is whether Kyler Murray can unlock this offense and give Jefferson the targets he deserves, while the running back situation sorts itself out. The team also traded Jonathan Greenard and a 7th, which means Dallas Turner is going to have to step up big time with over 6.5 sacks. This is going to be a fascinating season to watch unfold!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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