Vikings Rumors: New Starter for Flores, MIN’s MVP Chance, and The Packers’ Plight
Even if we’re officially in the portion of the year when Vikings rumors are quieting down, we’ll still be highlighting some of the purple rumblings.
The “Vikings Rumor Wrangle” is a series that keeps readers informed on what’s being whispered about in Vikings Land. In this iteration, we discuss a change within Brian Flores’ starting crew, Sam Darnold potentially jumping into the MVP conversation, and the Packers’ plight.
Vikings Rumors: 12.11.2024
Rumor #1 — Brian Flores Changed Up his Starting Lineup
Certainly did (read more).
I have been hyping Jalen Redmond for a little while now. In Week 14, Redmond stepped into the starting lineup. The talented defensive lineman finished his day with 39 snaps, easily a career-high for the 25-year-old defender. Crunch the numbers and that’s 53% of the defense’s total. Within that opportunity, Redmond snagged 4 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 2 passes defended. In other words, Redmond had a productive day.
Redmond often demonstrated good hustle in the game, contributing to his ability to pile up his 4 tackles. And then the pair of TFLs speak to his quickness and ability to work through the o-line to create some chaos behind the line of scrimmage.
And don’t overlook the passes defended. If a d-lineman is snagged at the line, getting one’s mitts up once the QB is gearing up to pass makes a lot of sense. Doing so helps to cloud the passer’s vision and (possibly) knocks down the ball. On two occasions, Redmond successfully tipped the ball before it could get to its intended target.
Jalen Redmond, 25, is working on a single-season deal that’s accounting for less than $1 million on the cap.
Look for him to be a priority to retain once the offseason hits. In his 134 snaps, the defender has snagged 13 tackles, 1 sack, 1 QB hit, 6 tackles for loss, and 2 passes defended.
Rumor #2 — Sam Darnold Should be Acknowledged as a Legit MVP Candidate
Admittedly, I had written off the possibility following the Jacksonville Jaguars debacle. Sam Darnold, however, has been turning doubters into believers as of late.
His most recent effort involved going 22/28 for 347 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. He did so inside U.S. Bank Stadium while Kirk Cousins was trying to overcome his former squad. The 4th-quarter effort from Darnold was nothing short of elite QB play, firmly slamming the door on any attempt from Cousins to pull off the win.
In the aftermath, Sam Monson sent out the following thought on social media: “How close are we to Sam Darnold entering the MVP conversation?” The question sparked some reflection from yours truly.
Consider some of the basic stats to help fortify the case for Darnold winning the prestigious award.
Mr. Darnold is tied for 6th in the NFL with a 68.4% completion rate. The 28 touchdown passes are coming in at a tie for 3rd. His 3,299 passing yards are 6th. The 108.1 passer rating sits at 3rd in the league. PFF is placing him at 6th overall in their QB rankings. Folks, keep in mind that we’re talking about Sam Darnold. Some believed he would have a strong season, but almost no one thought he would be a serious contender for MVP as Week 15 neared.
In all likelihood, the award isn’t going to get kicked over to Darnold (Dustin Baker discusses the situation on Vikings Territory). Even finishing within the top five, though, would point toward an unbelievable level of success for the journeyman passer who most believed was a draft bust.
Rumor #3 — The Green Bay Packers Will Now Have a Tough Time Catching the Minnesota Vikings
Difficult but not impossible.
Minnesota stands atop an 11-2 record; Green Bay is sitting atop a 9-4 record. In other words, there are a pair of games that separate the division rivals. Keep in mind that the Packers could directly chip away at that two-game discrepancy in Week 17 when the two teams square off at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Coming into the season, most expected Green Bay to be a rock-solid football team. Sitting at 9-4 as the season marches through December isn’t a surprise. What is a surprise is that the Vikings are on the cusp of elite. It doesn’t feel this way since Detroit has been playing so well, but Minnesota still has a decent shot at both winning the NFC North and finishing as the top team in the NFC. Doing so would involve a first-round bye and making the rest of the NFC go through Minnesota to reach the Super Bowl.
Going into Week 15, the Vikings have a +99 point differential. The Packers have a +75 point differential. Expect a close one in a few weeks when the rivals battle at The Bank.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap 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, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.