The Minnesota Vikings are in a very intriguing spot with their quarterback situation.
After the team decided that it what not going to pay Kirk Cousins during the offseason and allowing him to sign with the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent, the team opted to sign Sam Darnold to a deal.
They would then go on and draft for the future of the franchise, as the Vikings would move up one spot in the 2024 NFL draft to 10th in order to secure Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
While on his show, Pat McAfee discussed how the Vikings should allow Sam Darnold to start the season and if there is some issues to bring in McCarthy off the bench, rather than the other way around.
“If Sam Darnold starts doing that Sam Darnold (expletive) where he’s throwing the ball to the other team numerous times, there might be a little bit of a push for J.J. McCarthy to get in there,” McAfee said. “And that’s best case scenario for all parties if you’re trying to think about the QB of the future.”
This is not a new concept as this situation would allow McCarthy to continue adjusting to the speed of the National Football League a few extra weeks before being thrown to the wolves. If not, this is used as essentially a redshirt season for their future starting quarterback.
What should we expect out of the Minnesota Vikings this season?
The Vikings are in an interesting situation as they are expected to do poorly in 2024.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, their win total for the season is listed at 6.5, which is the lowest in the NFC North.
They have a solid offensive team after signing running back Aaron Jones to a deal in the offseason but their defense still has a lot of question marks.
Last season, the team finished tied for 13th in the NFL with 21.3 points per game allowed. The team has to do better defending against the pass but essentially did not improve in their secondary at all outside of cornerbacks Khyree Jackson and Dwight McGlothern, but that is not expected to elevate the team.
What is even worse for the Minnesota Vikings is the fact they are projected to have one of the most difficult schedules in the 2024 season with non-conference games against the San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks to name a few.
This team has low expectations and could be great for the progression of J.J. McCarthy.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
