Minnesota Vikings Information and Hyperlinks: What A Letdown!

What a disappointing in to this season the final two weeks has been. The offense, offensive line, and Sam Darnold specifically have been abysmal. Listed below are the grades for the offensive line vs the Lions when Darnold was pressured 33 instances (Brandel and Robinson mixed to permit 17 pressures, per PFF) …

1. Brandel — 42.0

2. Darnold — 45.8

5. Robinson — 53.4

I don’t have the PFF subscription however somebody often posts the highest and backside 5. I really feel that the majority the offensive linemen on this sport will grade poorly. O’Neill was getting bullied by Jared Verse very often albeit one time was palms to the face. I used to be somewhat disenchanted in O’Neill final evening. The remainder had been worse.

I don’t imagine the Vikings might have had Verse if they didn’t commerce up as a result of the Rams took him at 19. The Vikings might have taken him at 17 although. Nonetheless, why even do this when you think about the staff signed Greenard and Van Ginkel and nonetheless had Pat Jones. They introduced on Jihad Ward too. It was sort of a luxurious choose to go get Turner who now could have a whole lot of strain to carry out. If they might have taken Verse how a lot would he have performed?

Maybe, and in assessment (some say hindsight), keep at 23 and take OC/OG Graham Barton, CB Terrion Arnold, CB Nate Wiggins, DT Johnny Newton, WR Ladd McConkey (luxurious choose), DT Braden FIske, or CB Cooper DeJean at 23? Perhaps commerce down a spot or two first? IDK, the drafting has to get higher. Interval.

Again to the sport. What extra might be stated moreover it was a crap present. The offensive line went into the tank towards these higher groups and Darnold has cement toes more often than not. He bails out when he might simply stand there and throw it someplace whereas absorbing successful (simple for me to say no?). You need to get a giant contract then that’s what it takes. The dude put up a reasonably dang good season up till the final two weeks. It was cheap to invest concerning the staff signing him long run. However the was uncovered towards these playoff groups and confirmed that when the cash is on the road, he folds.

I used to be OK with giving him a Baker Mayfield degree extension (35-37M per 12 months for two to three years) however not after these final two video games. If a QB doesn’t present up in a very powerful video games of the 12 months then you shouldn’t make investments large cash in him. Nicely, if I used to be GM I might not do it. Not when I’ve a potential QBOTF on my roster that I simply drafted. I don’t see any tag and commerce both. That could be a pipe dream. It’s going to price 41M or so. What staff goes to provide you a choose AND tackle that wage with the possibility to provide him an extended deal? I might not do this if I’m a GM. I might merely wait and attempt to signal him as a free agent.

Sadly, the Vikings are in all probability taking a look at a potential compensatory choose when he goes elsewhere. I might deal with signing Daniel Jones to compete with JJ now.

The easy reality is that Sam Darnold isn’t dynamic sufficient to make performs together with his toes and bail out the offense when issues go south. He turtles up and barely can transfer at instances. He was actually good this 12 months but when the staff needs to go all the way in which, then they must have a extra cellular QB who additionally is ready to throw.

Subsequent up could be to do one thing concerning the inside line. Blake Brandel has not lived as much as being a starter. I like him as a backup who might fill at guard or deal with. Unsure about Risner both. Bradbury’s move blocking is reverting to kind too.

So Kwesi has to signal some defensive linemen, cornerbacks, possibly a security or two, a few guards, and a middle. He ought to get a operating again on this draft however the bonehead traded a whole lot of his picks final 12 months. That could be a dangerous technique. He might get some again with a commerce down or two however you do not need to commerce down too far.

One other merchandise for dialogue is what’s Brian Flores head teaching inventory trying like after these two losses? Inventory nonetheless up? He may very well be again for one more go subsequent 12 months which might be nice.

The season was actually enjoyable up till the final couple of weeks. If they might have competed and made the video games shut then I might have lived with that. However to get spanked two instances in a row kind of flushes the entire season down the drain. Oh properly, each staff however one goes house unhappy no?

Minnesota Vikings Information and Hyperlinks

Vikings’ thrilling season involves lifeless finish in blowout loss to Rams

It’s pretty gorgeous how shortly and painfully the jubilant vibes of a 14-win season and nine-game successful streak can come crashing down in simply 9 days.

Lower than two weeks in the past, the 14-2 Vikings had been driving excessive as they headed to Detroit with an opportunity to safe the highest seed within the NFC. Their quarterback was on fireplace and so they hadn’t misplaced in additional than two months. However after an unpleasant blowout loss towards the Los Angeles Rams on Monday evening, eight disastrous quarters of primetime soccer was all it took for his or her season to return to a surprisingly abrupt ending.

Actually, it was 4 quarters that did them in. The Vikings trailed 10-6 at halftime towards the Lions in Week 18 and misplaced the second half 21-3. When that defeat relegated them to wild card standing, they traveled to Arizona and performed an excellent worse half with all the things on the road. Sam Darnold was sacked six instances and turned it over twice in a primary half that the Vikings misplaced 24-3, which was a deficit too large to get better from in an eventual 27-9 loss at State Farm Stadium.

The story of this sport was the play of Darnold, who hoped to bounce again from a stinker of a efficiency in Detroit. As a substitute of responding with a powerful outing in his first profession postseason begin, he flopped once more. Darnold threw an interception and was not sharp from an accuracy standpoint, however the far larger subject was how lengthy he held onto the ball over and over. He took a whopping 9 sacks, six of which got here within the Vikings’ nightmare of a primary half.

Minnesota’s offensive line very a lot misplaced the battle towards the Rams’ gifted younger entrance 4, however lots of the sacks had been a results of Darnold merely not getting the ball out of his palms. There have been far too many events the place he tried to maneuver within the pocket and make one thing occur as an alternative of letting it rip early in his development or no less than throwing it away — and it price the Vikings. Essentially the most notable instance got here on a strip sack landing within the second quarter that blew the sport open.

Sam Darnold’s disastrous playoff debut on heels of Lions loss leaves Vikings with a giant offseason resolution

Simply two weeks in the past, Sam Darnold was within the midst of a dream season and lined up for a profession payday.

Two disastrous performances later within the largest video games of his profession, and his soccer future is all of a sudden murky.

Darnold completed the evening finishing 25 of 40 passes for 245 yards with one landing and one interception. He took 9 sacks for a lack of 82 yards and one misplaced fumble. It was a second consecutive dreadful efficiency by Darnold when the lights of the season had been brightest.

On the heels of the high-stakes duds, the Vikings now enter the offseason with a giant resolution round a very powerful place in soccer. Do they try and re-sign Darnold? Do they let Darnold stroll as a free agent and hand the reins to J.J. McCarthy?

Darnold was by no means presupposed to be on this place to start with. The Vikings drafted McCarthy final 12 months within the first spherical out of Michigan as their quarterback of the long run. They signed Darnold as a veteran bridge and anticipated backup for every time McCarthy was able to take the beginning position.

Sam Darnold’s second straight dud sinks Vikings’ season: ‘I clearly haven’t performed adequate the final couple of weeks’

Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings’ season was misplaced on Monday evening.

So too with it might need been a profitable offseason for Darnold following 17 weeks’ value of a feel-good story.

“I clearly haven’t played good enough the last couple of weeks,” Darnold, an impending free agent, stated after the sport. “Just like I said, (I) left too many throws out there that I would usually make. Gotta take better care of the football.”

“We’ve got to find a way to check the ball down and just keep moving the ball forward,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell stated. “Completions have a negative effect on defense, they just do. Those moments when you are holding that ball and your reaction is trying to make a play. We can’t talk out of both sides of our mouth because he sure as heck made a lot of plays doing that this year. I think that’s part of the growth.”

By way of the primary 17 weeks of Darnold’s revitalization, he threw 35 touchdowns. Over the previous two, he threw one.

Equally, Darnold tallied a 106.4 passer ranking from Weeks 1-17, and within the final two compiled a 66.4 ranking.

O’Connell, showing each bit the QB whisperer as he coaxed the perfect from the 2018 NFL Draft’s No. 3 choose, remained supportive of Darnold’s continued maturation.

“Remember this guy is 27 years old or whatever he is,” O’Connell stated. “I think he has a foundation now of both the things you do at quarterback position to have success and things sometimes you have to learn the hard way. You talk to some of the greatest players to play the game at the position. They all had learning moments throughout their journey. I think Sam will take a lot of positive out of this year. I think he’ll look like we all will very much inward. What’s the next step? What’s the next phase for him to find that consistency. I’m going to do the same thing.”

Darnold was headed for a giant payday within the offseason, whether or not the Vikings re-signed him, utilized the franchise tag or he hit the open market. Now, Darnold’s inventory has crashed emphatically in two video games’ time.

“I’m not worried about that,” Darnold stated of how the final two weeks will impression his future. “That’s in the past. Right now, I’m just thinking about, like I said, what I could have done better today and just spending time with the guys in the locker room. That’s really all, I’m focused on right now. At the end of the day in the NFL, you only get one season with one team with everyone together. Today wasn’t our day. It’s as simple as that. For me, I’m going to be focused on spending as much time I can with those guys in the locker room and then I’ll think about whatever the future holds after that.”

“I also want to say, I think it’s very important that we think about Sam’s body of work,” O’Connell stated. “What he was able to do this year, when not many people thought he would be able to lead a team to 14 wins. Very rare for a quarterback in their first year. In fact, it is rare, most wins by a first-year quarterback with a team.”

What he’s achieved within the final two losses would possibly properly have sullied 14 wins’ value of reclamation.

‘Doesn’t really feel actual’: Vikings’ Cinderella season ends in disappointment with loss to Rams

“All that matters when you have a good season is what do you do in the playoffs,” quarterback Sam Darnold, 27, advised reporters on Monday night following his first playoff begin. “In the NFL, you only get one season with one team with everyone all together. And today wasn’t our day. It’s as simple as that.”

“I feel like there were a lot of sacks today that I was responsible for, where I was just holding on to the football and taking sacks,” stated Darnold, who completed with 245 yards and one landing and one interception. “It’s up to me to be able to feel that (pressure) and either step up, move, run for a first down or just simply throw it away.”

“It doesn’t feel real,” stated Jones, who completed with 13 carries for 48 yards. “I know you have to take it one week at a time, but I was definitely expecting to play next week.”

“We didn’t do enough to win. That’s what happens in this league,” Vikings security Josh Metellus stated with tears in his eye. “We had a special group. This team is one of the best teams I’ve ever been on. The sky was the limit for us. It was all about going 1-0. Today, we were 0-1. That just happened to be the last one.”

Jones added that he’s “sad for my brothers and sad for how it went down. We played our butts off this whole year and then today, everybody came out there and everybody left it on the field even though it wasn’t the outcome we wanted,” Jones stated. “The team changes year after year. It’s a true brotherhood in this locker room, some guys may not be back and you feel it. This is the closet team I’ve been on. I love these guys.”

Darnold is about to enter free company after enjoying out his one-year, $10 million contract with the Vikings. He regarded poised to stay a starter, whether or not with the Vikings or with one other staff, however his stumble to the end line the previous two weeks might impression his future. Darnold, nonetheless, stated that’s a dialog for one more day.

“I’m not worried about that. That’s in the past,” Darnold stated on Monday. “Right now, I’m thinking about what I could have done better today and just spending time with the team in the locker room.”

Jefferson famous that the query marks surrounding the staff’s future quarterback felt like deja-vu.

“It was the same type of situation last year. I didn’t know who my quarterback was going to be and I really didn’t care,” stated Jefferson, who was held to 5 receptions for 58 yards on Monday. “I’m confident in myself to go out there and still perform the same way I’ve been performing. It’s not my job to say who is going to be the quarterback or who I want to be the quarterback.”

It doesn’t matter what occurs, O’Connell stated two dangerous video games shouldn’t discredit Darnold’s Professional Bowl-caliber season: “I’m proud of (Darnold), proud of really everybody in that locker room. But Sam (Darnold), the journey him and I went on this year will always have a special place in my heart.”

Souhan: No QB controversy right here; playoff debacle makes clear Vikings should dump Sam Darnold and develop J.J. McCarthy

Two blowout losses to finish some of the stunning success tales in Vikings historical past.

And this uncommon predicament: A 14-win staff that failed so completely beneath strain that it has no selection however to dump the quarterback who gained these 14 video games.

What this Vikings regime proved this season is that it is aware of easy methods to construct a winner, even beneath hostile circumstances.

What this Vikings regime proved this postseason is that even a well-run group can solely faux it on the quarterback place for thus lengthy.

Sam Darnold couldn’t stand the strain in Detroit, and he disintegrated within the dry warmth of Arizona

If Darnold wasn’t going to have the ability to win large video games, it’s higher for the Vikings to seek out out now, earlier than investing large cash in him and relegating J.J. McCarthy to a backup position.

Because the groups performed out the string within the fourth quarter, Troy Aikman commented on some large offseason selections looming for Minnesota through the Monday Night time Soccer broadcast. For Vikings followers prepared at hand the reins to McCarthy in 2025, Aikman’s take is for you:

That dialog’s a distinct dialog in the present day than it was two weeks in the past. I do know they actually like J.J. McCarthy. He’ll be again and he’ll be wholesome. What that appears like for Sam … and he’s had an amazing 12 months. I imply, there’s no denying that. He did a whole lot of good issues for this group, clearly a giant half, the quarterback at all times is, when you’re going to go and win 14 video games. He performed at a extremely excessive degree. It’s simply, final week and this week will go away a nasty style in everybody’s mouth going into this offseason.

Kevin O’Connell says what each Vikings fan is considering after brutal loss vs. Rams

“We’ve got to find a way to solidify the interior of the pocket. … There could be a 1,000 excuses made, but for me, it’s the foundation of the interior of the pocket that we’re going to have to take a long look at.”

The offensive line regarded like a energy for a lot of the 12 months. ESPN’s move block win charge had the Vikings second this season at 70%. Nonetheless, many of the struggles the Vikings had got here after that 2.5-second mark at which ESPN grades move block win charge.

How a lot of it’s actually on the offensive line? Of the six sacks that occurred within the first half, two of them got here earlier than 4.4 seconds, with all of them taking no less than 3.2 seconds to get house.

You possibly can argue that the Vikings want a greater offensive line and also you’d be proper. Nonetheless, how a lot of it’s really on the offensive line when head coach Kevin O’Connell is making an attempt to repeatedly generate explosives? That’s a very good query that we are going to reply when the all-22 comes out.

What does this imply for the way forward for the Vikings? There’ll, at minimal, be a contest for each Blake Brandel and both Dalton Risner or Ed Ingram. It additionally may very well be a sign that this would be the precedence this offseason.

There may be one enormous prize that’s possible going to be out there in free company: Kansas Metropolis Chiefs proper guard Trey Smith, who has performed at a Professional Bowl/All-Professional degree via his 4 years within the league. Including him subsequent to Brian O’Neill may very well be a game-changer for the Vikings’ offense in additional methods than one.

2025 NFL playoffs overreactions: Vikings to maneuver on from Sam Darnold? Eagles to hurry for 200 yards vs. Rams?

Vikings ought to transfer on from Sam Darnold

Overreaction or actuality: Actuality

Darnold had an incredible season with the Vikings, rating fifth in passing yards (4,319) and passing touchdowns (35) whereas ending sixth in passer ranking (102.5). He led the Vikings to a 14-3 file and a playoff berth on only a $10 million wage, being the most effective bargains in soccer.

With that being stated, Darnold’s final two video games had been horrendous. He accomplished simply 53.1% of his passes for 411 yards with one landing, one interception with a 66.4 passer ranking. Darnold was sacked 11 instances in that stretch (together with 9 within the wild-card loss), however he additionally was gradual in his progressions, took too lengthy to do away with the soccer and turned the ball over (fumble was returned for a landing by the Rams).

Darnold’s Cinderella story was a pumpkin actual fast, sufficient of a pattern dimension for the Vikings to maneuver on. The Vikings wanted Darnold to take over one among these two video games and he failed to take action, making their 14-win season out of date.

With J.J. McCarthy ready within the wings, the Vikings ought to let Darnold stroll and permit another person to pay him. Darnold might not ever have a greater season than he had in 2024.

…

Vikings had been most overrated staff in NFL this season

Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction

No 14-win staff is overrated, irrespective of how anybody tries to spin it. The Vikings had an incredible season en path to a 14-3 file, however the finish of their season took away the unimaginable 12 months they’d. Minnesota was outscored 58-18 in its last two video games, failing to attain 10 factors towards Detroit and Los Angeles.

In a bizarre twist, the Vikings misplaced back-to-back video games to the identical groups. They fell to the Lions in Week 6 and the Rams in Week 7, then misplaced to the Lions in Week 18 and the Rams within the wild-card spherical. These had been the one 4 losses by the Vikings all season — to the Lions and Rams.

The Vikings turned the primary 14-win staff to lose back-to-back video games to finish the season, however that shouldn’t take away the 12 months they’d. Minnesota beat Inexperienced Bay twice and was 4-3 towards 10-plus win groups. The Vikings weren’t an elite staff, however they weren’t overrated, both.

…

Packers are nonetheless a Tremendous Bowl contender in 2025

Overreaction or actuality: Overreaction

The Packers had the second-youngest playoff roster in NFL historical past (behind solely final 12 months’s staff), but didn’t have the look of a staff that might make a deep playoff run all season. When the Packers confronted any staff at their degree, they did not win. Inexperienced bay was 0-6 towards groups that completed with 11+ wins this season, a poor signal for a staff that was presupposed to be amongst the elite within the NFC.

The reality behind the Packers? They had been a third-place staff of their division that beat up on the dangerous groups and couldn’t beat the nice groups. They did enhance their win complete in every of the final three seasons, however this 12 months was presupposed to be extra than simply being a No. 7 seed and making an attempt to make a Cinderella playoff run.

The roster improved, however the wins towards the elite groups had been nonexistent. Inexperienced Bay has to start out accumulating victories towards Detroit, Philadelphia, and Minnesota if the Packers need to be on their tier. They simply weren’t in a position to do it this 12 months.

Jordan Love continues to be gifted. The offense and protection are top-10 models, however simply got here up small towards actually good groups. That must change in 2025.

25 Minnesota Vikings slated to be free brokers throughout 2025 offseason

Unrestricted free brokers

RB Cam Akers

S Camryn Bynum*

DT Jonathan Bullard*

QB Sam Darnold*

OG Dan Feeney

CB Stephon Gilmore*

CB Shaq Griffin

LB Kamu Grugier-Hill

RB Aaron Jones*

QB Daniel Jones

EDGE Patrick Jones II

WR Brandon Powell

OT David Quessenberry

OG Dalton Risner*

OT Cam Robinson*

WR Trent Sherfield Sr.

DT Jerry Tillery

CB Byron Murphy*

CB Fabian Moreau

QB Nick Mullens

TE Johnny Mundt*

EDGE Jihad Ward*

Restricted free brokers

S Theo Jackson

P Ryan Wright

Unique rights free brokers

DT Jalen Redmond

Most might go or be re-signed for related small offers. My order of significance could be Daniel Jones, Byron Murphy, Camryn Bynum, Jonathan Bullard, Aaron Jones, and Dalton Risner.

Yore Mock
Fast & Soiled Offseason Plan
Yr : Cap House
2025 : $69,570,877
2026: $100,430,510
Signings
Daniel Jones – 2 yr 30M
Byron Murphy – 3 yr 51M
Aaron Jones – 2 yr 11M
Teven Jenkins – 4 yr 72M
Trey Smith – 4 yr 88M
Milton Williams – 3 yr 60M
Cuts
Ed Ingram
2025 : $19,095,877
2026: $19,230,510
…
They may restructure/prolong O’Neill to unlock more room and do different cuts as properly.
Additionally, there could be a number of small one 12 months offers given to veterans just like final 12 months.
Beginning offensive line:
Christian Darrisaw – 6’5” 315
Teven Jenkins – 6’6” 321
Garrett Bradbury – 6’3” 300
Trey Smith – 6’6” 321
Brian O’Neil – 6’7” 310
Backups
Blake Brandel – 6’7” 315
Michael Jurgens – 6’4” 311
Walter Rouse – 6’6” 313

Commerce Recap
Minnesota Receives:
2025: Spherical 1, Choose 31
2025: Spherical 2, Choose 63
2025: Spherical 4, Choose 131
Kansas Metropolis Receives:
2025: Spherical 1, Choose 24
2025: Spherical 3, Choose 97
…
Minnesota Receives:
2025: Spherical 2, Choose 36
2025: Spherical 4, Choose 105
Jacksonville Receives:
2025: Spherical 1, Choose 31
….
Minnesota Receives:
2025: Spherical 2, Choose 40
2025: Spherical 4, Choose 128
New Orleans Receives:
2025: Spherical 2, Choose 36
…
Minnesota Receives:
2025: Spherical 5, Choose 139
2025: Spherical 5, Choose 163
Carolina Receives:
2025: Spherical 4, Choose 128
…
Minnesota Receives:
2025: Spherical 5, Choose 174
2025: Spherical 6, Choose 211
Baltimore Receives:
2025: Spherical 5, Choose 163
…

40. Trey Amos CB Mississippi 6’1” 190

Picture by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos

63. T.J. Sanders DL South Carolina 6’4” 290

Picture by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos

105. Cameron Skattebo RB Arizona State 5’11” 215

Picture by Alika Jenner/Getty Photos

131. Malachi Moore S Alabama 6’0” 201

Picture by Brian Bahr/Getty Photos

138. Jack Bech WR TCU 6’2” 215

Picture by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Photos

139. Jonah Monheim IOL USC 6’5” 310

Picture by Ric Tapia/Getty Photos

159. J.J. Pegues DL Mississippi 6’2” 325

Picture by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos

174. Terrance Ferguson TE Oregon 6’5” 255

Picture by Brandon Sloter/Picture Of Sport/Getty Photos

211. Cody Simon LB Ohio State 6’2” 235

Picture by Steve Limentani/ISI Pictures/Getty Photos

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