Vikings Offseason Assessment? “Slow-and-Steady” but Still “Fascinating”
Almost everyone following the Vikings offseason is looking for more insight about what’s transpiring between rookie J.J. McCarthy and veteran Sam Darnold.
To that end, the recent word from Alec Lewis simply functions as further corroboration of what we already knew. Lewis thinks that Minnesota is going to develop McCarthy slowly while foreshadowing some positive things for Mr. Darnold.
The Vikings Offseason and the McCarthy vs. Darnold Battle
The Athletic‘s Vikings beat writer suggested that things truly were moving in a “slow-and-steady” manner with Mr. McCarthy: “The Vikings are sticking with their plan at quarterback. J.J. McCarthy, whom the team drafted at No. 10, did not take a first-team rep. This isn’t a reflection of his play at all. Instead, it’s a sign that the team’s strategy — to take the long-term and slow-and-steady approach to quarterback development — is more than just news conference fodder.”
Meanwhile, Darnold is looking like the top option: “Expect Sam Darnold to start for Minnesota in Week 1 and well into the season, depending on his health and performance. He placed passes accurately all spring and comfortably mingled with teammates and coaches.”
“This is unquestionably,” Lewis argues, “Darnold’s best-ever NFL situation, and it’ll be fascinating to see what that means in the form of results on the field.”
Presumably, Lewis is excluding San Francisco since Darnold’s job was to be the QB2 in that stop. For the spots where he was leaned on as a starter — with the Jets and Panthers — Darnold received very little support. With the Vikings, things will be very different, largely due to the vast array of skill alongside a defense making strong improvement under the tutelage of Brian Flores.
For whatever it’s worth, the assessment out of Atlanta is positive for Kirk Cousins (tampering verdict aside).
Josh Kendall offered this assessment of Cousins alongside the Falcons’ skill: “Pitts, London and Robinson all raved about Cousins’ wealth of experience and preparedness and the fact that those things allowed him to essentially coach them on the field. All three youngsters felt like it immediately upped their games during OTA and minicamp practices.”
Minnesota and Atlanta are scheduled to play in Week 14. By that point, it’s anyone’s guess who will be under center for the Vikings. Week 1, though, looks like it’ll be Sam Darnold unless J.J. McCarthy absolutely shreds training camp and the preseason.
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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.