What could have been.

[JimmyinSD]

If Darnold was on our team and we were playing either the Rams or Seattle (assuming Seattle had viable QB play), would it have turned out any different than last year vs either the Rams or Lions?  In my mind, we’d still be calling 4 second long pass plays, still not running the ball, still got a broken Oline, Darnold still taking a ton of sacks, a ton of hits, getting flustered and making mistakes.

The offense Seattle ran yesterday was markedly different than what we ran.  They weren’t trying to hit homeruns every play.  Darnold was efficient.  He was hitting open receivers wherever they were, not just 25 yards down the field, and frequently they were much closer to the LOS than what we normally run.  Multiple times, you’d see them hitting a 7 yard pass, than another 5 yard pass to move the chains.

I just don’t think KOC has learned any lessons from the past two years.  I think he’s still of the mindset that once the players get good enough, he’ll be able to run his perfect offense, but he needs superstars at every position for it to work, and when you don’t have superstars at every position, you get the 2025 offense which looks like one of the worst offenses in our history.  Meanwhile, other OCs are designing offenses for the QBs they have, the OLines they have, etc.  Their offenses look different depending on which defenses they’re playing.  If the defense takes away what they do best, they pivot to attack what the defense is weak at.

if you change offense to defense and KOC to Zimmer in your above review.... its like you wrote it 7 years ago or so.

[supafreak84]

Unfortunately it looks like both will be conducting the draft this year.  With a good supply of picks they should be able to add a few starters and depth in positions they currently don't have, but they will likely try and outsmart the other GM's and pick for need or trade down for more picks which they will fuck up.

I mean, how much more proof do we need that the Wilfs don't know what they are doing by allowing that tandem to run another draft (an extremely important draft) where we absolutely have to hit on picks that they've shown no ability to do!? We are looking for multiple starters or significant contributors out of this draft. Four years in and we are one of the older rosters in the league and hemorrhaging cap on older free agents because we have to try to fill the holes of failed draft picks. It's not a winning formula and the fact that the Wilfs are going to allow it to continue tells you all you need to know about them and why we havent won shit in their 21 years of ownership. I mean for the love of God, at least can Grigson. Do something!

[comet52]

Sammy would not have had the success here that he's had in Seattle. For one, Kubes is a superior play caller to KOC, especially in his use of the screen game. Seattle's RBs even without Charbonnet, are better than Minnesota's. Seattle's OL is also better than Minnesota's especially in pass pro. All factors that have led to the success of Sammy's season.

I agree.  

And I would add that Seattle's D is second only to Houston and carried the team at times this season while Sam led the league in turnovers.  

McDonald is a smart HC who dialed back the pass game in recent weeks to limit those mistakes.  They had to open up a bit yesterday because the Rams offense is so good and Darnold produced a rare mistake-free game so kudos to him. KOC's single-minded YOLO ball approach would not and will not carry this team or Darnold to a SB imo.

[purplefaithful]

I'm not saying it has to be pick #1...But after watching the top teams play football the last two weeks? I am more convinced than ever we need to better ourselves at RB and find a good replacement for Kelly too while we're at it.

Nothing going help JJM more than that...Ok, besides a healthy Darrisaw

[MaroonBells]

I'm not saying it has to be pick #1...But after watching the top teams play football the last two weeks? I am more convinced than ever we need to better ourselves at RB and find a good replacement for Kelly too while we're at it.

Nothing going help JJM more than that...Ok, besides a healthy Darrisaw

Vikings will have some money to spend. I can see them going after a back like Breece Hall or Travis Etienne and drafting one as well. I don't think we can afford to play craps at the center position by drafting a guy who may or may not be able to play in the NFL. Our best option might be Blake Brandel. He played pretty well there, grading above 72 in 5 of his last 6 starts at center.

[mblack]

25-36 is a 70% completion rate.   I would take that all day every day.

---

I think what this comes down to the decision was made, come hell or high water the organization was going to use the rookie contract of McCarthy to propel the Vikings to a Super Bowl by buying players.  One could point to the Patriots right now as to the legitimacy of that strategy.  However, the one BIG difference IMO is the drafting and FA pickups.  Second is the coaching.  Just how pray tell can Bradbury leave the Vikings and become a great player in NE?  Ed Ingram the same thing.  Vikings let Tonga walk as well. I have no way of knowing this but had the Vikings told Sam he was the starter going in and JJ the backup would he have stayed?  Why not make it a priority to sign Darnold and if he falters and JJ is the guy so be it.

The Vikings had no chance in the Darnold sweepstakes. Because:

• Darnold had seen first hand how JJ played and how much KOC raved about him. So it was clear JJ was the future there was never going to be a guaranteed 3 year deal as starter for Darnold.
  
• You also know the front office would have offered him a deal that protects them and offered an out when they felt JJ was ready or when Darnold struggled. 
  
• At the time the Seattle Oline and run game were miles better that what Darnold played behind (and ended up that way even with the Vikings additions) and Darnold knew that.
  
• Darnold was looking at maximizing what he could get because he had a once in a lifetime lifeline
  

It’s not like the Vikings did not offer him a deal. Seattle just offered a better deal and also had no one breathing down Darnolds neck.

[MaroonBells]

The Vikings had no chance in the Darnold sweepstakes. Because:

• Darnold had seen first hand how JJ played and how much KOC raved about him. So it was clear JJ was the future there was never going to be a guaranteed 3 year deal as starter for Darnold.
  
• You also know the front office would have offered him a deal that protects them and offered an out when they felt JJ was ready or when Darnold struggled. 
  
• At the time the Seattle Oline and run game were miles better that what Darnold played behind (and ended up that way even with the Vikings additions) and Darnold knew that.
  
• Darnold was looking at maximizing what he could get because he had a once in a lifetime lifeline
  

It’s not like the Vikings did not offer him a deal. Seattle just offered a better deal and also had no one breathing down Darnolds neck.

There's a lot of revisionism among Viking fans about this. I've said this before, but even if the Vikings matched Seattle's 3-year, $100M offer, Sam would never have turned down the clear starting position on one team to be in a competition with a QB on the other. 

Yes, the Vikings could've franchised him, but that designation had a $40M price tag. As QBs go, not a huge amount. But a show of hands of those people who wanted to pay Sam $40M (and the $40M cap hit that goes with it) after his last two games in purple.

[purplefaithful]

There's a lot of revisionism among Viking fans about this. I've said this before, but even if the Vikings matched Seattle's 3-year, $100M offer, Sam would never have turned down the clear starting position on one team to be in a competition with a QB on the other. 

Yes, the Vikings could've franchised him, but that designation had a $40M price tag. As QBs go, not a huge amount. But a show of hands of those people who wanted to pay Sam $40M (and the $40M cap hit that goes with it) after his last two games in purple.

Yuppers, a hard die was cast with the drafting of a QB in the top 10 and a $300mm spend spree in FA that assumed you arent paying a guy $40mm plus on the books beyond 2025. 

I think the consensus last year (here on this board) was that unless Darnold literally took them to the SB, he was going to be a 1 year gap till they tossed #9 out there to play. 

Darnold made it an easy decision for the front office after those last 2 games...I know I was ok with that at the time. Just didnt realize how low JJM floor was.

[MaroonBells]

Yuppers, a hard die was cast with the drafting of a QB in the top 10 and a $300mm spend spree in FA that assumed you arent paying a guy $40mm plus on the books beyond 2025. 

I think the consensus last year (here on this board) was that unless Darnold literally took them to the SB, he was going to be a 1 year gap till they tossed #9 out there to play. 

Darnold made it an easy decision for the front office after those last 2 games...I know I was ok with that at the time. Just didnt realize how low JJM floor was.

No one did. But I do wonder how much better JJ might have been if he did not suffer that high ankle sprain that forced him to miss five games (and 5 weeks of practice reps) just as he was getting started. I feel pretty confident that JJ can still be our franchise QB; I'm just not convinced that's going to happen in 2026. I don't think the Vikings are either, which is why they're going to bring in legit competition.

I remember thinking in training camp that I didn't think Sam Howell was AT ALL what the Vikings had in mind for QB2. He wasn't. Vikings have to almost OVERcorrect that mistake this year.

[purplefaithful]

No one did. But I do wonder how much better JJ might have been if he did not suffer that high ankle sprain that forced him to miss five games (and 5 weeks of practice reps) just as he was getting started. I feel pretty confident that JJ can still be our franchise QB; I'm just not convinced that's going to happen in 2026. I don't think the Vikings are either, which is why they're going to bring in legit competition.

I remember thinking in training camp that I didn't think Sam Howell was AT ALL what the Vikings had in mind for QB2. He wasn't. Vikings have to almost OVERcorrect that mistake this year.

^^^

It has to happen in 26, or they have think of another route in 27 - and that means back to the drafting board for one. 

How many years are you going to waste of McNeil, Darrisaw, Fries, Jetta? 

Me?!