The Vikings have shifted their attention from a strong 2017 season to look ahead toward the 2018 offseason. 

While that will include the NFL Scouting Combine, free agency and the NFL Draft, the Vikings will take their next few weeks to evaluate their own roster.

Sid Hartman of the Star Tribune recently chatted with Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer about his offseason plan, with Zimmer saying he'll continue to look for ways to improve Minnesota's roster.

Hartman wrote:

*The big question mark heading into this season was the offensive line, and while Zimmer said they are more settled at that position, they will not stop looking for starters and depth. *

"I think when you go into the draft and you go into free agency you're looking for starters, and even if they're not starters, they are really good depth players," he said. "When we go draft a guy, we're going to continue to draft the best player at whatever position we think it is. If he takes a year or two to develop, so be it.

"But we want to continue. [General Manager] Rick [Spielman] did a great job in the draft this year and free agency. We need to hit that one more year and this team will be solid."

But with the recent playoff loss fresh in his mind, Zimmer said he isn't about to start making roster decisions less than a week after the 2017 season came to a close.

Hartman noted:

*Zimmer said his emotions after the Eagles loss are still too raw to fully analyze the Vikings' personnel needs. *

"I think the biggest thing for me is to get away from this for a couple of weeks — sit back, get away from everybody, and look at this unemotionally," he said. "You get attached to these players. And you have to look at it unemotionally at some point in time. You have to look at it as, 'OK, is this guy good enough? Do we need to replace him? Do we need to add to this position?'

"But I don't think now is the right time to do it. We just came off of a tough loss in the NFC Championship Game. We have been grinding since last July. I think it is best to step back, look at everything and really go through everything with a fine-tooth comb."

Thielen ranked ninth in NFL jersey sales

Adam Thielen turned more than a few heads in 2017 as he hauled in 91 receptions for 1,276 yards with four touchdowns.

That made the Vikings wide receiver a household name across the country, as Thielen saw his popularity skyrocket.

According to NFL.com, the Minnesota native had the ninth-highest selling jersey during the 2017 season. The data spans from Sept. 1 through Jan. 18.

Thielen, who was named a Second-Team All-Pro and also selected to the Pro Bowl, was admired across the Upper Midwest.

He had the top-selling jersey in Minnesota, but also in Iowa and South Dakota.

According to a map on NFL.com, Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz had the top-selling jersey in nine states, while Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's jersey was the top seller in six states.