It’s Super Bowl or Bust for One Vikings Defender
The Minnesota Vikings have famously never won the big game, and four games have remained in the loss column since the 1970s. As an organization, the Vikings have come close a few times since the glorious Bud Grant days but failed to make it to the Super Bowl. Still, the last three times the team reached the NFC Championship game were in the seasons of 1998, 2009, and 2017, roughly once per decade.
It’s Super Bowl or Bust for One Vikings Defender
After four of the ten campaigns in the 2020s have already been played without any trips to the league’s semifinals, another Championship Game should be waiting, at least mathematically. However, that is not how the league works. Regardless of the mathematical chance, every team must qualify for that opportunity each season.
For the Vikings, the odds don’t seem to favor the franchise making any noise in 2024, with the lowest odds to win the NFC North and only underdog chances to reach the postseason.
The employees, however, don’t care about the numbers. At least one guy doesn’t: Safety Camryn Bynum. He appeared on NFL Network’s show The Insiders and was asked about the organization’s ceiling in the upcoming season.
I expect the Super Bowl. Everybody says that, and everybody should say that, but you look at the guys on the team, the locker room, all the experience that we have; look at how much depth we have, especially on the defense. We have so many guys; it’s almost weird looking around because you’re (thinking) how are we all going to get on the field because there’s so many ballers.
You look at the offense; there’s a baller at every position across the board. That’s why I’m confident when I say I expect us to be a Super Bowl team. Our preparation has to tell it all. Every team says that every year, but we have to make it real.
Camryn Bynum
Bynum’s bold proclamation is logical, as NFL players are competitors and want to win. In reality, however, the situation is different. While the Vikings undoubtedly have some “ballers,” there are also weaknesses that will most likely prevent the team from competing in the Super Bowl.
The most obvious one is at quarterback. Head coach Kevin O’Connell will deploy either Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy in 2024; a mix between the duo is possible. Many franchises insert the rookie passer at some point in the season after relying on a veteran early in the campaign. It is extremely hard to compete for a Super Bowl without an elite passer or a borderline Pro Bowler who can get hot at the right time.
Darnold might have some untapped potential that has been hidden partly because of subpar surroundings with underwhelming teammates and coaching. His play in the last couple of years suggests that he could reach another level in 2024, although it should be noted that the sample size is quite limited, with six games in Carolina, one start in San Francisco, and some late-game duty in lopsided matchups.
Folks who put all their faith in rookie McCarthy to save the season and lead the Vikes to the promised land should pump the brakes. First-year players always need some time to adjust to the NFL. Quarterbacks must learn a new playbook and control much more at the line of scrimmage, the opponents move at a different speed, and defenses are better than even good college units.
The expectations should be set accordingly. Even impressive rookies like C.J. Stroud and Justin Herbert mirror the statistics of an average Kirk Cousins season, and therefore, McCarthy can’t be viewed as an immediate upgrade, even if he manages to reach elite rookie QB level.
On defense, the team lost top pass-rusher Danielle Hunter, but they replaced him by adding a solid trio of outside linebackers. The shaky defensive line and the cornerback groups remain areas of concern. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah acquired some new players in either spot, though day three rookies and journeyman veterans like Jerry Tillery and Shaquill Griffin can hardly be expected to fix the problems.
The good news is that the organization could have a decent unit on both sides of the ball. O’Connell showed that his offensive scheme can be effective even with low-end QB play. Darnold should be an upgrade over the rotation of Nick Mullens, Joshua Dobbs, and Jaren Hall.
The defense was impressive for over half of the season but struggled early in the year and in the final four contests. If the Vikings found players who fit Brian Flores’s system better through the many changes in the offseason, there’s a chance the overall consistency will improve. A top-ten rank is possible if the pass rushers and safeties carry the group.
The Vikings might be a better team than last season, as growth is always feasible. Power rankings and betting odds tend to stay on the conservative (and perhaps more realistic) side when they predict the future, and the Vikings have some unknowns. Still, competing for the playoffs should be considered a win in a developmental year.
Teams can’t be ruled out to make a playoff run (nobody expected the Bengals to reach the Super Bowl in the 2021 season), but Minnesota is a heavy underdog to make much noise in the postseason for good reasons, and Super Bowl hopes are understandable but far-fetched.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt