ESPN’s Mike Clay has ranked every position group in the league ahead of the 2024 NFL season. The Vikings, unsurprisingly, are a mixed bag.

To kick things off, Minnesota ranks dead last at the most important position in the sport: quarterback. That’s not exactly auspicious. It’s also somewhat hard to dispute in the aftermath of the No. 10 overall pick undergoing season-ending meniscus surgery.

“Minnesota would not have been here a week ago, but J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury puts the franchise in a tough spot in 2024,” Clay wrote. “With the rookie sidelined, Sam Darnold is locked in as the early-season starter, and Nick Mullens is the backup plan. Perhaps Kevin O’Connell can turn Darnold’s career around, but it’s a long shot considering the 27-year-old’s résumé, which includes 64 touchdown passes and 56 interceptions over 66 games.”

Here’s where the Vikings rank across all 10 positions and overall.

* Quarterback: 32nd
* Running back: 24th
* Wide receiver: 9th
* Tight end: 12th
* Offensive line: 19th
* Interior D-line: 26th
* Edge rusher: 14th
* Linebacker: 24th
* Cornerback: 26th
* Safety: 3rd
* Overall roster: 27th

The Vikings have four top-half rankings, including top-ten groups at wide receiver and safety. But when you’re 32nd at QB and in the bottom ten at four other spots, the outlook is somewhat bleak.

If there are a couple spots where I’d argue the Vikings should be higher, it’s running back and linebacker. In Aaron Jones/Ty Chandler and Ivan Pace Jr./Blake Cashman, Minnesota has strong duos at both of those spots. I think both should be several spots higher even without significant depth. You could also make the case to bump up the Vikings a bit at WR, O-line, and edge rusher, though much of that depends on the performance of players like Jalen Nailor, Blake Brandel, Ed Ingram, and Dallas Turner.

These rankings serve as a reminder that if the Vikings exceed expectations and reach the playoffs this year, Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores should be in line for some coaching awards. The roster still needs work.