INDIANAPOLIS — With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, the NFL makes its annual trip to Indianapolis this week for the NFL Combine.

Think of it as the unofficial start of the offseason.

Whether it’s general managers shooting the breeze, head coaches sharing ideas, or agents subtly negotiating on behalf of their clients, the conversations taking place over a nice dinner at St. Elmo Steak House, or over a few drinks at the JW Marriott, often have a way of shaping how everything plays out.

Where do the Vikings fall into that ecosystem this go around? There might not be a team in the NFL with more at stake over the next couple of months. It will start with free agency in March and and continue with the 2024 NFL draft in April.

There are so many moving parts the Vikings must navigate as they try to thread the needle on their competitive rebuild. That puts a ton of pressure on the collaborative effort that is general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell.

Here are five questions the Vikings must answer this week at the combine:

What’s their plan with Kirk Cousins?

This was always going to be the Vikings’ starting point. Not much can happen until they decide what they are doing with veteran franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins. It seems like there is mutual interest from both sides in a potential reunion heading into next season. The sticking point likely will be price. There’s no doubt that agent Mike McCartney will be looking to secure Cousins as much guaranteed money as possible. Will the Vikings come to the table or draw a line in the sand? That’s something Adofo-Mensah, O’Connell and McCartney will likely discuss this week.

Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates on the field after defeating the Indianapolis Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium on Dec. 17, 2022 in Minneapolis. (Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

Are they considering a Justin Jefferson trade?

Talking to reporters at the combine last year, Adofo-Mensah proclaimed that he didn’t want to be the general manager of the Vikings if superstar receiver Justin Jefferson wasn’t on the roster. Fast forward to this year, and Jefferson is still waiting for a contract extension. He wants to be the highest-paid receiver in the NFL. That’s not a secret. It will be interesting to hear what Adofo-Mensah has to say about Jefferson when he talks to reporters this week. The most important thing Adofo-Mensah needs to address is the spreading rumors that the Vikings might be willing to trade Jefferson if the price is right.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 07: Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after a touchdown while defended by Kindle Vildor #29 of the Detroit Lions during the third quarter at Ford Field on January 07, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

Does the salary cap increase impact Danielle Hunter?

Just last week the NFL announced that the salary cap will increase by more than $30 million. That unprecedented rise could help the Vikings as they enter negotiations with star edge rusher Danielle Hunter. His contract is set to void on March 13, and if the Vikings can’t reach a new deal by that deadline, they will on the hook for roughly $15 million regardless of whether he’s on the roster. In other words, if the Vikings want to keep Hunter, it would behoove them to get something done sooner rather than later. The elephant in the room is the fact that Hunter might be the most coveted edge rusher on the market. Will the Vikings be able to afford him? His agent Zeke Sandhu will be the judge of that.

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Danielle Hunter (99) celebrates his sack of New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) in the fourth quarter of a NFL game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Will they target a quarterback in the draft?

If the Vikings end up moving on from Cousins, it is assumed they will strongly consider drafting a quarterback. Would they be aggressive and try to trade up for the likes of Caleb Williams of Southern California, Drake Maye of North Carolina, or Jayden Daniels of LSU? Would they stay at No. 11 and consider the likes of Michael Penix Jr. of Washington, Bo Nix of Oregon, or J.J. McCarthy of Michigan? There will be time for Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell to chat with at least some of those prospects this week. That could go a long way in determining what the Vikings decide to do in the draft.

What other impact positions are they looking into?

Maybe the Vikings decide A) it’s going to cost too much for them to trade up for Williams, Maye or Daniels, and B) they don’t want to take Penix, Nix or McCarthy at their current slot. If that’s the case, the Vikings would likely look to the other side of the ball at No. 11 to give defensive coordinator Brian Flores more firepower. That could mean edge rushers like Dallas Turner of Alabama, Laiatu Latu of UCLA, or Jared Verse of Florida State. That could also mean cornerbacks like Nate Wiggins of Clemson or Quinyon Mitchell of Toledo. Some of the workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis could help make that decision.

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