Brad Rempel-Imagn Pictures.
The Minnesota Vikings have about 5 weeks of the offseason within the books, to date extending head coach Kevin O’Connell’s contract and welcoming again defensive coordinator Brian Flores for a 3rd marketing campaign.
PFF Names Vikings’ Prime Offseason Roster Determination
In 3.5 weeks, free company will overtake the whole lot regarding Vikings soccer, and the 2025 NFL Draft is six weeks after that.
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Pictures | Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) passes towards the Las Vegas Raiders within the second quarter at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Brad Rempel-Imagn Pictures.
And in line with Professional Soccer Focus, Minnesota’s high offseason roster choice is fairly easy: Who’s the QB1?
PFF’s Bradley Locker recognized each NFL staff’s principal roster choice, and he wrote in regards to the Vikings’ quarterback conundrum: “The Vikings are currently in the midst of what feels like a hypothetical philosophical dilemma: Keep your great, albeit more temporary player, or turn to the young one waiting in the wings.”
“After signing as a clear bridge option in Minnesota this past offseason, Darnold was superb, generating a career-best 77.5 PFF passing grade, ranking seventh among quarterbacks in PFF’s wins above replacement metric and fueling the Vikings’ shocking 14-3 season. The problem is that Minnesota drafted J.J. McCarthy 10th overall in 2024 and seems to be banking on him as the man under center for the long haul.”
Sportsbooks point out McCarthy because the overwhelming favourite to guide Minnesota in 2025, whereas some followers nonetheless imagine the franchise might re-up with Darnold on a short-term deal. Darnold can in all probability command round $40 million per 12 months from his subsequent employer, and proper now, Minnesota’s wage cap isn’t essentially designed to renew the Kirk Cousins period at quarterback — paying a good-but-not-elite passer mucho dinero.
Locker added, “Will general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah franchise-tag or extend Darnold, putting McCarthy’s future with the team in jeopardy, or will he eschew Darnold’s one-year contributions for the touted prospect? Given Adofo-Mensah’s history of shedding once-beloved players like Dalvin Cook and Za’Darius Smith on more expensive deals, handing the reins to McCarthy feels more probable, but it’s far from a straightforward choice.”
Mike Dinovo-Imagn Pictures.
The Vikings might additionally apply the franchise tag and commerce Darnold, although his commerce worth dipped tremendously after he performed horribly within the season’s ultimate two video games.
PFF has it proper that the QB1 is the meatiest offseason roster matter, however most imagine McCarthy shall be named QB1 when it’s all stated and finished, and that’ll be that.
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Pictures.
Minnesota, too, might re-sign Daniel Jones in 2025. He would possibly play “the Sam Darnold” function from 2024 — an skilled however inexpensive quarterback on the roster as McCarthy insurance coverage.
NFL free company kicks off on March tenth with “legal tampering.”
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his day by day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options visitors, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple staff, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates again to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doorways (the band). He follows the NBA as carefully because the NFL.
All statistics offered by Professional Soccer Reference / Stathead; all contractual data offered by OverTheCap.com.
