The Minnesota Vikings took control of the NFC North division last season and made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game before being eliminated by the Philadelphia Eagles. It was a season that made the fans believe in their team again after years of playoff disappointments. Now, the Vikings are widely viewed as one of the best teams in the NFC and a serious Super Bowl contender.

Not only are the Vikings going to get another year of development from their young talent, they also went out and made one of the biggest free agency moves of the offseason. Kirk Cousins ended up leaving the Washington Redskins and the Vikings were able to get a deal done with him.

If there was one question mark surrounding the Vikings last season, it was the quarterback position. Case Keenum ended up performing admirably, but Cousins is a far superior quarterback and will give the Vikings the franchise quarterback that they have been searching for.

Add in the return of running back Dalvin Cook and the Vikings’ top-notch defense, and Minnesota is going to be a force in 2018. Mike Zimmer has the best football team on paper that he has ever had. If Minnesota plays up to their potential, a Super Bowl could be on its way to Minneapolis in the near future.

All of that being said, what early bold predictions can be made for the Vikings looking ahead to the 2018 NFL season?

Vikings receivers highly encouraged by Kirk Cousins in OTAs, @TomPelissero writes https://t.co/FS1LuelzTd pic.twitter.com/PUi5BImj93 — Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) May 30, 2018

Minnesota Will Repeat As NFC North Division Champs

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are going to be tough to beat out, but the Vikings will win the NFC North for the second year in a row. They have done an excellent job of building their roster and adding Cousins put the cherry on top. Minnesota will win the NFC North and head into the playoffs with a bye to the divisional playoffs.

Dalvin Cook Will Come Back For 1,000 Yards, 10 TD’s

As a rookie in the four games that he was able to play last season, Dalvin Cook rushed for 354 yards and two touchdowns. He ended up going down with a season-ending torn ACL but vowed to come back stronger than ever, as noted by ESPN. Cook will make good on his promise and will rack up at least 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2018.

The Vikings Will Win 13 Games

Minnesota has a decently difficult schedule, but they will end up finishing the year with a 13-3 record. Their offense has taken a huge leap forward and they will have one of the top defenses in the NFL once again. Both sides of the football being strengths will make them one of the top teams in the regular season.

Kirk Cousins Will Throw Over 40 Touchdowns

Let’s go ahead and make a bold prediction about the Vikings’ new quarterback. Cousins is going to have a much easier time making plays with talents like Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen to throw to. Having those weapons along with a strong running back will allow the new Minnesota quarterback to throw at least 40 touchdown passes.

A Super Bowl Berth Is Going to Happen

Just a couple short years ago, the Vikings had too many question marks on their roster to think about a Super Bowl appearance. They are now at the point where anything short of that would be a disappointment. Minnesota will make a run all the way to the Super Bowl this season to prove that they are finally back as a threat to the NFL.