The Vikings are all set to kick off their 2026 season in grand fashion on Sunday afternoon when they take on the Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Before that happens, it’s time to get some bold predictions for this season on the record.
By definition, none of these are likely to happen (otherwise, they wouldn’t be bold). However, I believe they’re all firmly within the realm of possibility. If I look back on this and four months and got one or two right, I’ll take that as a win. Let’s dive in.
1. Kyler Murray gets the first MVP votes of his career
The Vikings’ new starting quarterback experienced the highs of success at times during an up-and-down seven-year career with the Cardinals. In just his first three seasons, the former No. 1 overall pick was the offensive rookie of the year and made two Pro Bowls. Injuries and inconsistency have been part of his story since then, but Murray showed in 2024 that he can still play at a very high level. He now enters the best situation he’s ever been in.
With Kevin O’Connell in his ear and guys like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison running routes, Murray knows he just needs . He’s a talented, experienced player who I think is going to thrive this season if he stays healthy. In 2022, the NFL changed the MVP voting process, requiring voters to rank their top five choices instead of picking one player. Murray, who may have gotten a few down-ballot votes in 2021 under the current system, will get at least one fifth-place vote this year.
2. Jordan Mason has a 1,000-yard rushing season
Run game, run game, run game. It’s been a massive offseason focus for the Vikings, who brought in former Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith, added a great blocking WR3 in Jauan Jennings, and drafted a mauling fullback in Max Bredeson. They’re moving to more of an outside zone-heavy run scheme, and if training camp is any indication, Mason is in line for a big year as a beneficiary. He’s a powerful runner who showed off quite a bit of burst throughout this summer.
Mason has been a metrics and PFF darling for a couple years now because of his vision and contact balance, among other traits. He’s in a split backfield with Aaron Jones to open the season, but he has the talent to become the clear 1A in that duo (and there’s always some level of injury risk with Jones). After back-to-back seasons with between 750-800 rushing yards, Mason will break through with his first career 1,000-yard campaign.
3. Christian Darrisaw is a first team All-Pro
From his second season in 2022 until his devastating knee injury midway through the 2024 season, the only player on the Vikings’ roster better than Darrisaw was Justin Jefferson. He’s never made a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro team but he arguably should’ve in ’22, when only Trent Williams had a better PFF grade among all offensive tackles. Darrisaw has said he feels like himself again after being limited by his knee last season. He’s going to get back to dominating and finally earn the national respect he deserves.
4. Jalen Redmond has a 10-sack season
The breakout guy everyone is talking about on the Vikings’ defense ahead of this season is Dallas Turner, the former first-round edge rusher who is poised for a big third year now that Jonathan Greenard is gone. Like most, I expect big things from Turner. But I also expect big things from a different third-year player in the Vikings’ defensive front. Redmond, who Minnesota found in the UFL, is quite a bit better than people realize.
Last season, Redmond played almost 800 snaps and recorded 35 pressures and six sacks. I think he goes to another level this season and records the first ten-sack season by a Vikings defensive tackle since Kevin Williams did it in 2004.
5. Blake Cashman sets Vikings’ single-season tackles record*
In 1993, Vikings linebacker Jack Del Rio recorded 169 combined tackles. Since then, only Chad Greenway in 2011 has gotten within 15 of that (official) franchise record. I included an asterisk above because tackles weren’t officially tracked by Football Reference until 1987, so Vikings Ring of Honor linebackers Matt Blair and Scott Studwell (who both reportedly had 200-tackle seasons in their careers) aren’t on the list.
Cashman had 144 tackles last season to move into a tie for fifth place on that leaderboard — and he did it in just 13 games. Averaging a hair over 11 tackles per game, his pace would’ve put him at 188 if he played all 17 games (which would’ve led the NFL). This year, I think Cashman continues to rack up tackles at an elite rate and stays healthy enough to record at least 170 of them for the season.
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This story was originally published by on Sep 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a