Vikings roster analysis: Who's in? Who's out? With little salary-cap flexibility, the Vikings face tough questions at tight end, offensive line and linebacker after a 7-9 season. January 7, 2021 — 11:43pm Text size Copy shortlink: A year after they reached the divisional playoffs, the Vikings in 2020 were caught between two aims: trying to make the playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time since 2009 while overhauling a defense they decided was in need of a reboot. That was a tall order, especially with the coronavirus pandemic wiping out the NFL's offseason program and preseason, but the Vikings kept at it, trading for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue in late August and running Dalvin Cook more than any back in team history not named Adrian Peterson. At the end of the season, as a raft of defensive injuries took three Pro Bowlers away, coach Mike Zimmer said the Vikings' 7-9 record was "maybe the best we could have done."