Based on how they draft, the Vikings seem to have a philosophy. Minnesota tries to acquire as many picks as possible and develop talent through there. The team broke a record for the most picks in a seven-round draft in 2020.
George Paton, once the assistant GM of the Vikings and now the GM of the Broncos, had this to say when he was hired in Denver: “I think we all believe in drafting and developing and making them into your own. That’s the best way to build a football team,” via our friends at Broncos Wire.
So this is a Minnesota team that loves to see talent grow. That makes sense when you look at the team’s current roster makeup. According to Over the Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald, the Vikings are 71% homegrown.
That means that the Vikings are a team that retains players through the draft, as opposed to shelling out money in free agency or in trades. Only the Ravens have more homegrown players than the Vikings, per Fitzgerald.