The Minnesota Vikings are entering their first season without former quarterback Kirk Cousins. The veteran signed with the Atlanta Falcons this offseason, so head coach Kevin O'Connell and the front office had to pivot. They signed former San Francisco 49ers backup Sam Darnold to a one-year deal, and drafted Michigan's JJ McCarthy with the 10th overall selection in this year's NFL Draft. The two were competing for the starting quarterback job, but now the team has lost McCarthy for the season. So, the job is now Darnold's to lose.
“I think guys are pretty confident in Sam Darnold,” O’Connell said to reporters, via NBC Sports. “I do. When Nick Mullens got his opportunities last year, we were very explosive as an offense. His ability to run the show and really highlight a lot of different aspects of our offense with his understanding is something. That’s why Nick’s here. He’s a guy we really respect and respect his prep and his experience.”
Last season, the Vikings had to start multiple quarterbacks once Cousins went down for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. The team traded for veteran Josh Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals at the trade deadline, and Mullens stepped in once Dobbs proved to be ineffective. O'Connell has shown that his offense is very quarterback friendly and can be explosive with the right player in the position. Darnold has experience in the system after playing under Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, so his tenure here should help him in Minneapolis.
Sam Darnold, Vikings look to return to playoffs
Darnold's season in the Bay Area was a helpful one for his career. He flamed out with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, so sitting behind Brock Purdy and learning Shanahan's attack in 2023 was likely an excellent decision. Now on his fourth team, if the veteran can show that he's an effective starter for the Vikings, then he might be in line for a much bigger contract next offseason.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield went through a similar trajectory, starting his career with the Cleveland Browns and the Panthers before a stint with Sean McVay's Los Angeles Rams helped to jump start his fortunes. A one-year deal with the Bucs led to the best season of his career, and he resigned with Tampa Bay this offseason on a three-year, $100 million extension.
Losing McCarthy is undoubtedly a big blow for O'Connell and his team. However, if the team wants to return to the postseason after missing the dance in 2023, then Darnold turning in the best campaign of his NFL tenure so far would help quite a bit. If he can pull that feat off, then maybe a Mayfield-like contract will be in the cards for him in 2025.
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