The Minnesota Vikings were one of the busiest teams in the NFL during the offseason. They acquired a second first-round pick from the Houston Texans and moved up twice during the 2024 NFL Draft. The Vikings did so to acquire Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy and Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner. But there is still a lot to sort out in Minnesota. The Vikings have many training camp battles to analyze before the 2024 NFL season. Two of the most notable ones are at quarterback and tight end.
Will JJ McCarthy or Sam Darnold be the starter?
Just because the Vikings traded up one spot to land JJ McCarthy doesn't mean he will be the opening starter for the 2024 NFL season. That's because he isn't the only quarterback Minnesota acquired during the offseason. They also signed former third-overall pick Sam Darnold in free agency after Kirk Cousins left for the Atlanta Falcons.
Those two will battle in training camp for the Vikings' starting quarterback job to begin the 2024 NFL season. Both have legit chances of winning. Darnold's career hasn't gone the way many thought it would when he left USC, but he does have some game. He was one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL in Weeks 12-17 of the 2022 season when he took over the starting quarterback gig for the Carolina Panthers.
It would seem that the plan at the moment is for Darnold to begin the season as the starter. The Vikings think that they can get solid play out of Darnold and take their time to develop McCarthy, their quarterback of the future. But they also didn't move up in the first to get him either. McCarthy fits head coach Kevin O'Connell's offense well, which could make him a viable starter sooner rather than later.
Whether or not McCarthy starts for the Vikings to open the 2024 NFL season may depend more on how he performs in this training camp battle. If he shows he's ready, there isn't much reason to play Darnold. But, Minnesota is insured in case that isn't the case. How this quarterback battle goes in training camp with the Vikings will be of utmost importance to monitor before the 2024 NFL season kicks off.
How does Minnesota fill in for TJ Hockenson?
Another training camp battle the Vikings will have to answer as they prepare for the 2024 NFL season is what to do at tight end. TJ Hockenson is one of the best at the position but he is currently on the PUP list. He is rehabbing a torn ACL he suffered on Christmas Eve in 2023 and likely won't be available for the start of the year.
Hockenson was fourth among tight ends in receiving yards last year (960) and second in receptions (95). It is going to take a village to replace his production. Luckily, Minnesota has a lot of options to do so. One of them is Johnny Mundt, who is reportedly playing Hockenson's role in the Vikings' offense so far during training camp.
Mundt is known primarily for his blocking prowess, but that is important for Minnesota's offense. The same applies to Josh Oliver, who signed a three-year $21 million deal with the Vikings last offseason. Those two would appear to be the favorites for an expanded role while Hockenson rehabs.
There are a few different receiving threats in their tight end room who could be called upon too. Robert Tonyan had his moments with the Green Bay Packers, including an 11-touchdown season in 2020. Former first-round pick N'Keal Harry is making the switch from wide receiver to tight end. Minnesota also signed Trey Knox as an undrafted free agent who played at Arkansas and South Carolina in college.
Tight end is an important position in Minnesota's offense. How they go about replacing Hockenson is anybody's guess. The answer to who fills that void during the 2024 NFL season will come with how these Vikings tight ends perform in training camp.
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