There has been speculation about what the Minnesota Vikings plan to do at the quarterback position. And an ownership group that hasn’t settled on the head coach for the long term. And now the Vikings have unveiled their Sam Darnold-JJ McCarthy plan for the preseason opener versus the Raiders.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that Darnold will start the preseason opener Saturday at quarterback before the team turns to McCarthy.
Vikings QB Sam Darnold to get first look
There has been speculation about what the Minnesota Vikings plan to do at the quarterback position. And an ownership position that hasn’t settled on the head coach in the long term. And now the Vikings have unveiled their Sam Darnold-JJ McCarthy plan for the preseason opener versus the Raiders.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that Darnold will start Saturday’s preseason opener at quarterback before the team turns to McCarthy.
A seventh-year veteran, Darnold is with his fourth team. He’s been given many chances to prove his worth as an NFL starter, but never made good on it. In three years with the Jets, along with his famous “seeing ghosts” comment, he posted a starting record of 13-25. Yuck.
However, the Panthers liked what they saw and handed him the top job for parts of two seasons. He rewarded thme with a record of 8-9. And in his lone start with the 49ers last season, he record another loss to move his career mark to 21-35.
Now it can be said in his defense that it would have been tough for any quarterback to win during those seasons in New York and Carolina. Perhaps that’s why the Vikings gave him a one-year, $10 million contract. Yes, $10 million.
Where does Darnold's salary rank?
Of course, this isn’t Joe Burrow or Jordan Love dough, but Darnold ranks No. 22 on the list of NFL quarterbacks in terms of annual salary. And Pro Football Focus even went so far as to call the signing the Vikings’ best move of the offseason.
PFF’s Trevor Sikkema wrote: “The Vikings made some big splashes by re-signing Justin Jefferson and drafting J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner, but the Sam Darnold addition is the one that could have a big payout. Darnold will not be the franchise quarterback, but signing him for 2024 gives the Vikings flexibility to not rush McCarthy into action while the team remains competitive. For the flexibility and patience he allows Minnesota to have with McCarthy, Darnold was worth the $10 million this year.
Or … McCarthy beats him out and Darnold earns $10 million to practice and hold a clipboard.
O’Connell told KFAN’s Dan Barreiro, via upmatters.com, Darnold has earned the right to be at the head of the quarterback room for now.
O'Connell said earlier this week that he felt Darnold had “earned” the right to take the first-team snaps in the early portion of camp.
“I think it's really important that every single quarterback should be treated with the respect of their own individual process and plan,” O'Connell said. “There is no cookie-cutter way of doing it. There's a feel of how you coach the position.
“There's a demand you put on the expectations for daily growth and progress. … I'm very fortunate for the first time in my career to be able to partly be in charge to make the decision of when I believe J.J. McCarthy will ready to go.”
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