The Minnesota Vikings closed out their 2025 season on a high note, rattling off five straight wins to finish 9-8. But let’s be real-after going 14-3 the year before and spending big in free agency, that record feels more like a consolation prize than a triumph. For a team that had playoff expectations, missing the postseason stings, especially when you consider the financial gymnastics they’re about to face.
Minnesota is projected to be nearly $49 million over the 2026 salary cap, according to Over The Cap. That kind of overage doesn’t leave much room for splashy signings.
Sure, there are ways to create space-restructures, cap casualties, the usual-but the Vikings are going to have to get younger, cheaper, and smarter. Translation: the 2026 NFL Draft just became the focal point of their offseason.
And while it might seem counterintuitive, the side of the ball that carried them in 2025-defense-is where they’ll likely need to invest. Specifically, the secondary. Despite strong overall play, the Vikings still struggled to generate turnovers, finishing with just eight interceptions on the year-tied for sixth fewest in the league.
Enter LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. In ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s first mock draft of the year, he has the Vikings selecting the unanimous All-American with the 18th overall pick. And if that happens, Minnesota might just be getting one of the steals of the first round.
Delane isn’t just a name that pops because of accolades-his production backs it up. Over the past two seasons, he’s recorded six interceptions and 18 pass breakups.
That’s the kind of impact defensive coordinator Brian Flores can work with. Minnesota revamped its cornerback room last offseason, bringing in Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Rodgers, but depth remains a concern.
Delane could help fix that immediately.
Rodgers, for all his upside, is entering the final year of his deal. And if Delane hits the ground running in camp, the Vikings would have options.
Rodgers could move to safety, where the team also has needs, or serve as a veteran presence behind a rising star. Either way, Delane’s arrival would give Flores more flexibility-and more talent-to work with.
Delane’s path to this point is impressive. He began his college career at Virginia Tech, earning All-ACC honors as a freshman and again as a junior.
But it was his lone season at LSU that vaulted him into elite draft territory. He posted the third-highest coverage grade in the nation among cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus, trailing only Notre Dame’s Leonard Moore and San Diego State’s Chris Johnson.
In 11 games, he allowed just 13 catches for 147 yards and zero touchdowns. That’s not just good coverage-that’s lockdown territory.
And while some might question the pick given Minnesota’s current starters, it’s worth remembering that elite cornerback play is at a premium in today’s NFL. You can never have too many guys who can cover, especially in a league that leans more pass-heavy every year.
If Delane is still on the board at 18, and the Vikings make the call, it’s a move that could pay off both immediately and in the long run. In a tight cap year, getting a potential shutdown corner on a rookie deal?
That’s smart team-building. And for a franchise looking to bounce back in 2026, it could be the first big step in the right direction.