The 2024 NFL season has come and gone for the Minnesota Vikings and the purple faithful may still be sore from the high hopes and devastating disappointment it left fans with.
However, some Vikings stood out among their teammates this season. Some are players that have already established themselves with the franchise while others thrived in their debuts in Minnesota.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 players on the 2024 roster.
10. RT Brian O’Neill
The 29-year-old was the Vikings’ most consistent offensive lineman in 2024. He played in all 17 regular season games and the team’s lone postseason game, earning the highest overall Pro Football Focus grade of any other Minnesota offensive lineman (79.3) outside of left tackle Christian Darrisaw (81.4), who had his season cut short due to injury. It’s the second-highest mark for the former second-round pick in 2018, as he received a PFF overall grade of 82.4 in 2022. He allowed four sacks and 26 pressures in 1,154 snaps played and was flagged only five times.
9. S Harrison Smith
In what could be his 13th and final season with Minnesota since they drafted him 29th overall in 2012, Smith was once again a crucial anchor to a defense that helped the Vikings tie a franchise record 14 wins this season. Smith finished the year with 87 tackles (56 solo), one sack, 10 pass breakups, three interceptions and a fumble recovery in 16 contests. Smith — who turns 36 in February — is due to be a free agent this offseason. He’s tied with Joey Browner for fourth-most interceptions (37); is the all-time leader in interceptions returned for a touchdown (4); and solo tackles (822) in Vikings history.
8. S Josh Metellus
The do-it-all defensive player has become a leader both on and off the field for the Vikings and followed up his breakout 2023 season with another impressive showing. Metellus tallied 103 tackles (63 solo), two interceptions, five pass breakups, and one forced fumble in 17 contests. His overall stats took a dip as he only started in 10 games in contrast to all 17 last season, but he was still able to compile his second consecutive 100-tackle season. Metellus has seen time at safety, corner and linebacker but could settle into a starting safety role in 2025 if Minnesota decides to part ways with Camryn Bynum, who is set to become a free agent along with Smith.
7. RB Aaron Jones
The once Green Bay Packers tailback became the first Vikings running back to gain over 1,500 yards from scrimmage since Dalvin Cook in 2020. Jones finished with the ninth-most carries (255) and rushing yards (1,138) in the NFL, averaging 4.5 yards per carry and scoring five touchdowns on the ground and two through the air. He also hauled in 51 catches for 408 yards. Jones helped change the dynamic of the offense that hasn’t seen a consistent running game since Cook. He’s due to become a free agent.
6. WR Jordan Addison
Injuries and a lack of targets had Addison’s 2024 season start off slow but the second-year wideout finished with almost identical numbers as his rookie season. Addison — who turns 23 on Jan. 27 — finished with 63 catches for 875 yards and 10 total touchdowns. Compare that to 2023 when he played in two more games and finished with 70 catches for 911 yards and 10 total touchdowns. Addison was quarterback Sam Darnold’s go-to target outside of Justin Jefferson, as he finished one target away from having at least 100 in consecutive seasons.
5. LB Blake Cashman
The Minnesota native had a career season in his debut with his hometown team, finishing with a team-high 112 tackles (68 solo), 4.5 sacks, eight pass breakups and one fumble recovery in 14 games. He missed three games with a toe injury but recorded double-digit tackles six times, including the NFC Wild Card loss against the Los Angeles Rams. Cashman, 28, has solidified the Vikings’ interior linebacker position for the first time since Eric Kendricks manned the role from 2015-2022.
4. EDGE Jonathan Greenard
Another Vikings player making his debut with the team this season, Greenard was a major factor on Brian Flores’ defense. He filled in nicely for the since-departed Danielle Hunter, who left in free agency for Greenard’s former Houston Texans. After breaking out in 2023 with 12.5 sacks while in Houston, the 27-year-old tallied a team-high 12 sacks, 59 tackles (41 solo), 18 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and three pass breakups in 17 games. He set career highs in tackles, tackles for loss, and quarterback hits (22). His performance earned him his first Pro Bowl honor.
3. EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel
Another newcomer in 2024, Van Ginkel finished with the second-most sacks (11.5) on the team to Greenard’s 12, a career-high for the former Miami Dolphins player. Both Van Ginkel and Greenard formed a tandem that gave opposing quarterbacks nightmares in Flores’ blitz-happy scheme. Van Ginkel also tallied 18 tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits, six passes defensed, a forced fumble and returned both of his interceptions for touchdowns in 17 games. Like Greenard, Van Ginkel earned his first Pro Bowl honor.
2. QB Sam Darnold
It didn’t end well for the former No. 1 overall pick but it was a career season for Darnold. Playing with what was undoubtedly the best group of talent in Minnesota, Darnold finished with 4,319 passing yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He completed 66.2% of his passes and averaged 254.1 yards per game. In what was expected to be a position largely unknown in terms of production after Kirk Cousins’ departure, Darnold thrived in his lone season in a Vikings uniform. He earned his first Pro Bowl honor and is likely to receive a big payday this offseason, despite flopping the final two games against the Detroit Lions and the Rams.
1. WR Justin Jefferson
Jefferson once again proved he’s the best wide receiver in the league in 2024, as he dealth with a challenge he hadn’t faced before: a new quarterback. The former first round pick out of LSU played in all 17 games, finishing with 103 catches for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns. He now has five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and matched a season-high in receiving touchdowns. The 2024 First-Team All-Pro was tasked with more double and triple teams but it didn’t seem to matter, as his continued success is something fans are simply used to at this point. J.J. McCarthy is next in line to take over quarterback duties for Minnesota and Jefferson’s production is likely to remain dominant as he continues his prolific career.
Tony Tellijohn
Christian Darrisaw I assume would have made the list if he didn’t get hurt.
Ivan Pace would be the other name that jumped out to me as possibly in the mix?
And Will Reichard could have made the list if not for his injury and his late season swoon…
Joe Nelson
Darrisaw for sure would’ve made it if his knee didn’t fall apart in L.A. Pace certainly could be considered a snub, and the same goes for Byron Murphy Jr. Will Reichard was recently diagnosed with Vikings Kicker Disease and it’s unclear if he’ll recover.