If there were one word to describe how Minnesota Vikings fans are feeling, it’d be: jealous.

Look around the league, and it’s hard not to be. Sam Darnold is going to the Super Bowl; last year, he was in Minnesota. The Vikings tried to trade up in the draft for Drake Maye, and he’s also in the Super Bowl. Instead of either of those outcomes benefiting Minnesota, they are forced to sit at home and watch two of their potential quarterbacks duke it out.

Yet, with a little bit of extra luck, things could’ve worked out in Minnesota’s favor this season.

The team had the right process in the offseason. Instead of sinking $40 million into a franchise tag for Darnold, they trusted their first-round pick, for whom they traded up. That money went to the offensive and defensive lines instead, which were clear weaknesses on their 2024 team.

Unfortunately, injuries ravaged all three of those positions, and we never really got to see what the best version of the Vikings looked like. Their “intended” starting O-line played just 83 snaps together, and J.J. McCarthy only started 10 games. There’s not a large enough sample size to evaluate how the units performed at their healthiest.

While it’s easy to look in hindsight and say Minnesota should’ve kept Darnold, NFL front offices can’t see the future. Should they have invested more heavily in a reliable backup? Probably, but you can’t fault the decision makers for believing in their guy. Undoubtedly, they’ll work to make the position better next season.

“We’re still looking at a quarterback who’s started 10 games out of a possible 34 in two years. Not the ideal path for a young quarterback to develop on the field,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said in his end-of-season press conference. “J.J. McCarthy is a guy that wants to be great. I know he’s going to work tirelessly to do that. … I think a deep and talented quarterback room will only enhance his ability to do that.”

The team had some success stories. Eric Wilson had one of the best years in his age-31 season, finishing second on the team in tackles (115), third in sacks (6.5), and leading in forced fumbles (four) and tackles for loss (17). Jalen Redmond and Dallas Turner had breakout years, totaling six and eight sacks, respectively.

They also got a huge win by keeping Brian Flores. The mastermind behind one of the top defenses in the NFL got a new contract after leading the Vikings to five-straight wins to end the year, and they expect that to continue into next season.

They kept most of the coaching staff intact, showing they believe in what they have on the sidelines. It might seem like a poor process to keep a staff that barely went .500. Still, having some continuity can make a huge difference heading into 2026, especially for a young quarterback. Minnesota’s staff also turned the season around to even make it to .500, a feat that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

The positives are there, but the front office did have some misses. Big splash O-line signings Ryan Kelly and Will Fries disappointed, with Kelly suffering multiple concussions and Fries ranking 60th among guards in PFF pass block rating (62.9). Isaiah Rodgers had one of the best games for a defensive back in NFL history, but outside of that, he didn’t excite too much.

Every team is going to have bad signings, and it’s easy to talk about what they should’ve done now that the season is over. Darnold likely would’ve given the Vikings more stable quarterback play, but there’s no guarantee he’d lead them to a Super Bowl. And if Minnesota had another early playoff exit with Darnold, fans would be asking for McCarthy to get his shot.

A bad season doesn’t mean the Vikings need to pivot their strategy. They had the right ideas, but it just never came to fruition – a popular story in the NFL.