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The Minnesota Vikings have been one of the most successful NFL teams in recent seasons. Their effectiveness coincides with the hiring of head coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The Vikings went 13-4 in the 2022 season and won the NFC North that year, and they put together a 14-3 season last year that saw them win their first five games of the season and then reel off a nine-game winning streak later in the season.
While the Vikings lost their regular-season finale to the Detroit Lions and that defeat cost them the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, Minnesota is a complete team. They have been explosive offensively as wide receiver Justin Jefferson may be the best at his position in the NFL and No. 2 wideout Jordan Addison is quite explosive.
Meanwhile, the defense has become one of the most improved units in the NFL under defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Linebackers Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel are impact players while Jonathan Greenard has done an excellent job rushing the passer
When the Vikings' season came to an end, there was one notable weakness and another area that needed improvement. The offensive line did not hold up its end in the loss to the Lions or the Wild Card loss to the Los Angeles Rams the following week.
Vikings address problem areas in free agency
As a result, Adofo-Mensah signed a pair of free agents to strengthen the front line. Center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries should both be upgrades for that unit. The Vikings struggled with their interior blocking and both Kelly and Fries should give them strength in that area.
The Vikings also needed more depth on the defensive line and they signed Jonathan Allen from the Washington Commanders and Javon Hargrave from the San Francisco 49ers. As long as these two veterans can stay healthy, Flores will have a couple of key players who can make key plays at crucial moments. Perhaps they won't reach double digit sacks, but they will shut down the run and reduce the amount of time opposing quarterbacks have to pass.
Minnesota also made a subtle move by signing running back Jordan Mason from the 49ers. The Vikings have Aaron Jones as their No. 1 running back, but Mason can provide quite a bit of punch as the backup. This could be vital to the gameplan since untested J.J. McCarthy takes over as the starting quarterback.
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McCarthy is untested, so his position as the team's QB1 is risky
The Vikings made McCarthy the No. 10 pick overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. After a decent start in the team's minicamp and the beginning of training camp, McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in Minnesota's first preseason game. As a result, the former Michigan quarterback was sidelined for the entire season.
Sam Darnold had been listed as the team's starting quarterback, but most anticipated that McCarthy would overtake him at some point. Darnold responded to his opportunity with a brilliant year that saw him complete 66.2 percent of his passes while delivering 34 TD tosses and just 12 interceptions.
Despite his Pro Bowl season, the Vikings made the decision to part company with Darnold and go with McCarthy in 2025. McCarthy appears to have excellent skills and instincts for the position, and O'Connell has proven to be one of the game's best quarterback tutors throughout his coaching career.
O'Connell believes that McCarthy is going to be an elite NFL quarterback. Does that mean he will reach that level this season? Nearly all young quarterbacks have rough moments as they grow accustomed to NFL football. Nobody is predicting that McCarthy will reach the Patrick Mahomes or Jayden Daniels level in his first full season under center.
McCarthy has a strong arm, accuracy and excellent athleticism. He has two great teachers in O'Connell and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown. However, the Vikings had a Pro Bowl quarterback in Darnold and they let him leave through free agency so McCarthy would get his opportunity.
It may work out brilliantly for the Vikings, but the move is also quite risky. If the adjustment is too challenging, the Vikings may struggle to have the kind of season their fans expect.
