The 2024 Vikings have a new starter at the NFL’s most important position, quarterback. But new faces abound in the starting lineup, from the offensive backfield to the secondary. Here are five other remade positions that will play a role in whether the Vikings can rebound from a 7-10 season.
Committing to Aaron Jones
Jones spent seven years in Green Bay, finishing last season with five straight 100-yard games to fuel the Packers’ surge to the playoffs. But Green Bay cut him in March after the two sides were unable to rework his contract. The next day, Jones was a Viking. He crosses the St. Croix River at age 29, when NFL running backs are called old. But, Jones said during training camp, “I definitely still got a lot of juice. When they talk about the best backs in the league, I’m not mentioned in that top five. Honestly, I feel like I’m the best all-around back when it comes to catching out of the backfield, running and protecting.”
The Vikings have professed and demonstrated a renewed commitment to the run game, through the signing of Jones, a beefed-up interior offensive line and their preseason play-calling. Jones, who averages 5 yards per carry in his career, didn’t take any preseason snaps, but he showed speed and agility in practice. It would not take much to improve a rushing attack that last season ranked 28th out 32 NFL teams in rushing attempts (23.1 per game), 29th in rushing yards (91.4 per game), 30th in rushing TDs (7, only four from running backs) and 24th in yards per carry (4.0).

Rebuilding the edge with Jonathan Greenard
The Vikings reshaped their front seven on defense on the opening day of free agency in March, with Greenard the signature piece after agreeing to a four-year deal worth $76 million. The team’s top three edge rushers last season (Danielle Hunter, D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport) left as free agents so the Vikings signed Greenard from the Texans and Andrew Van Ginkel from the Dolphins and drafted Dallas Turner in the first round.
“My job was not to come in here and fill any shoes,” Greenard said after he signed with Minnesota. “My job is to come in and be myself, do what got me here to this point.”
Greenard, 27, is coming off a career-high 12.5 sacks last season for Houston, which drafted the Georgia native in the third round in 2020 out of Florida. But he has yet to play a full season, missing two games in 2023 (ankle), nine games in 2022 (calf) and four games in 2021 (foot).
“He’s really got a good all-around game,” Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. “He can set the edge in the run game, stunt footwork. Works well with others within pass rush games, getting in gaps and making plays for other guys. He’s a team guy. Got a lot of ideas.”

Homecoming for Blake Cashman
Cashman, an Eden Prairie native and former Gophers star, attended games at the Metrodome as a kid. Now he’ll get to play his home games at U.S. Bank Stadium in front of scores of family and friends after signing a three-year contract with the Vikings in March.