Kevin O’Connell is Going to be Facing a Pile of Pressure in 2024
K. Joudry
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Kevin O’Connell isn’t on the hot seat.
Legitimately, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah believes in his head coach. Even more important, perhaps, is that the Wilfs value stability in their franchise. The end result is going to be a 2024 season where O’Connell proceeds with a decent bit of job security, all things considered. Even still, the coach is going to be encountering more and more pressure.
Going into Year 3, Kevin O’Connell is Facing a Pile of Pressure
The end of the season didn’t go particularly well for Coach O’Connell.
The QB-turned-coach struggled to navigate the quarterback chaos that was engulfing his team. The decision to roll with Joshua Dobbs following the bye was quickly proven incorrect. Nick Mullens got his shot before eventually getting benched in favor of Jaren Hall. But then Hall also get benched, leading to Mullens being reinserted into the QB1 opening.
Maybe the tumult was unavoidable. The passer who never gets hurt (Kirk Cousins) got hurt, forcing Minnesota to solve a quarterback riddle that may have been unsolvable.
Even still, seeing the QB situation so unsettled wasn’t a great way to end the season, especially since the Vikings legitimately did have a strong chance of making the postseason before their end-of-season losing streak.
In 2023, the Vikings faced an unusually high degree of adversity, largely contributing to finishing as the 22nd-ranked offense with an average of just 20.2 points per game. In 2024, O’Connell needs to obtain improvement without the help of Cousins, someone who was an excellent fit due to his mighty brain and accurate arm.
Sam Darnold has been added, meaning Minnesota is now working with a trio of passers. Darnold is the talented, highly-chosen option who hasn’t lived up to expectations. Mullens is a no-fear veteran journeyman and Hall is a soon-to-be sophomore who’s smart, hard working, and athletic. Is there a starter within that cluster?
Reverting back to the chaos from the end of 2023 won’t go over well in Minnesota.
Whoever gets most of the snaps under center must have a competent running game. Ty Chandler offers a lot of upside as a third-year runner with blistering speed. But then there’s the recent addition of Aaron Jones, formerly of the Packers.
Mr. Jones has a very impressive 5.0 yards-per-carry average in his seven-year career. He runs with great power in his 5’9″, 208-pound frame and has good hands. He has a total of 272 catches and 2,076 receiving yards in his career, meaning his average season sits around 39 catches and 297 yards. Not bad, especially since he is so efficient on the ground.
O’Connell’s task involves grafting the high-end runner into an offense that isn’t lacking for skill. No matter who else is out there, Justin Jefferson will still get the most defensive attention. Layering in Jordan Addison stretches a defense even thinner. What happens when T.J. Hockenson returns to full health?
Folks, that’s an offense that has no business being anything other than excellent, especially since the tackle twosome is so exemplary.
But, of course, that brings us back around to the NFL’s undisputed king for important positions: quarterback. Who is tossing the pigskin in 2024? Can he avoid the backbreaking turnovers while also doing enough to let the skill shine?
No doubt, the option exists that the top passer isn’t on the roster. Fresh off a stunning trade with the Texans, the Vikings now sit in a nice spot to go get one of this year’s most promising passers. Onboarding a rookie will mean O’Connell faces a new challenge: developing a franchise QB for Minnesota to rally around for the next decade.
Add it all together and Kevin O’Connell is moving into a tremendously important year. He is working with a talented roster that nevertheless offers plenty of uncertainty. The pressure is going to be high in the Twin Cities.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.