Ex-Franchise QB Endorses QB Solution for Vikings
Most Vikings fans expected a downgrade at the vital quarterback position when four-time Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins departed the organization in March. To take his place, the front office acquired Sam Darnold, a passer who hadn’t had any success in his previous stints with three different clubs.
Ex-Franchise QB Endorses One QB Solution for Vikings
His presence didn’t quite lead to much optimism. A few weeks later, GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah maneuvered the draft board, climbing up one spot, to select Michigan’s national champion, J.J. McCarthy. Suddenly, that optimism was back.
Unfortunately, he tore his meniscus in the first preseason game, ending his rookie year way too early. It was Darnold’s team, and back were the low expectations.
The former third-overall pick has shredded those expectations to pieces by throwing an unexpected 32 touchdowns in 15 games. That, however, has led to some discussions. Should the Vikings forget their plan of having Darnold as a one-year bridge player and hand him the franchise by extending his contract, or is it still McCarthy’s team going forward?
The opinions vary. Former Vikings QB Tommy Kramer weighed in. He started 110 games for the Vikings, tossing 159 touchdowns and 24,775 passing yards for the Purple. The yards still rank him second in franchise history.
He wrote on X:
I’ve been asked my thoughts on the QB situation. Darnold is doing an amazing job, I’m very happy for him. The NFL can be a short career, I hope he gets a lot of $ in his next contract. I would like to see the Vikings save the $, roll with JJ and do what they did this year in free agency and build a strong line on both sides of the ball. McCarthy is a winner and a leader, match that with Coach O’Connell and the receiver core we have, the Vikings have a bright future.
Indeed, the major downside of handing Darnold a starting-caliber contract is the tighter salary cap. Top QB deals have risen into a mid-eight-figure range for annual salary, and Darnold can command that, too, after a productive year.
It would catapult the Vikings back into the Cousins era by paying a significant salary to a solid but not quite elite signal-caller. That obviously poses the question of whether it might not be smarter to save the salary cap and spend it on a couple of standout free agents.
McCarthy, the tenth overall pick, earned some buzz in training camp because of his arm strength and then had some highlight plays in his lone preseason game, but without ever having played an NFL game, he is still an unknown.
In his college days, he operated a run-first offense for Michigan, but he was one of the most efficient QBs in the country on third downs, which usually translates to NFL success.
McCarthy possesses an infectious personality, and he is a mobile quarterback with a decent arm. At the age of 21, there is still room to grow, and the one missed year doesn’t suddenly erase any talent.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell is the ultimate x-factor in the quarterback dilemma.
He elevated Darnold’s play from a bottom-five starter and perhaps backup-caliber quarterback to a Pro Bowl candidate who’s leading a 13-2 operation. That, of course, makes folks wonder why he shouldn’t be able to elevate McCarthy, too.
At the end of the day, the Vikes will be asked to decide between a solid, known commodity or a talented unknown with an additional $30 or $40 million to spend to fill out the roster around him.
Kramer gave his input and added, “Merry Christmas, everyone, enjoy the time with your family and friends.”
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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