Sunday Hurt a Little for Minnesota Vikings Fans
It was a strange Sunday for Minnesota Vikings fans, as their squad had its annual bye week. Six NFL Sundays have passed, and the Vikings have played only once at noon, with two games having earlier kickoffs overseas and two contests slated for primetime.
Sunday Hurt a Little for Minnesota Vikings Fans
Skol Nation watched NFL RedZone or checked highlights on social media or on some TV montage. The one guy they frequently saw making plays was Drake Maye, New England’s sophomore passer.
Maye had another flawless game, tossing three touchdowns compared to zero picks. It was his fifth consecutive game with a passer rating of over 100. His yearly numbers are up to 1,522 passing yards, ten passing touchdowns, and two interceptions with a rating of 112.5, in addition to 138 yards and two scores on the ground.
Last year’s third overall pick looks every bit like the franchise quarterback Patriots fans hoped he could be when the franchise pulled the trigger in April of 2024. But they certainly deserve it after half a decade without the greatest quarterback in NFL history under center. Other teams have been waiting since Fran Tarkenton for a true franchise QB, but who’s counting?
The part that stings for Vikings fans is that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah tried to acquire the third overall pick from the Patriots to select Maye.
Si.com’s Albert Breer reported after the draft, “The Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants did make offers to the New England Patriots for the No. 3 pick to take Drake Maye. Earlier this week, Minnesota offered the Nos. 11 and 23 picks, and its 2025 first-rounder, with pick swaps favoring the Vikings as part of the proposal; and that offer ticked up with New England on the clock. The Giants, meanwhile, did wind up putting their 2025 first-round pick in their offer to move from No. 6 to No. 3.”
Pick swaps aside, the package would’ve basically included J.J. McCarthy, Dallas Turner (we’ll ignore the additional picks spent on the trade-up from 23 to 17), and Donovan Jackson.
Mike Reiss of ESPN confirmed a couple of days later, “The Vikings were ultimately willing to part with No. 11 and No. 23, along with a 2025 first-rounder, in exchange for the third pick and two mid-round selections from New England.”
Maye showed his potential last year, but still had areas to improve. In the joint practices with the Vikings, the purple squad gave the Patriots fits, but rave reviews were surfacing about the passer.
The Vikings had to pivot after the failed trade attempt and ended up with Mr. McCarthy out of Michigan. Famously, McCarthy missed his rookie season due to a knee injury, but it would’ve been hard to usurp Sam Darnold anyway.
Perhaps the more problematic element is the missed practice time. The work on fundamentals had to be paused for five months. In his first two NFL games, it’s fair to say that only one of the eight quarters was good. That was a comeback victory over the Bears with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Everything else has been a struggle.
Vikings fans, meanwhile, have to watch Maye carve up one defense after another. Unfortunately, he’s wearing a Patriots uniform. Furthermore, Darnold and Daniel Jones have Pro Bowl seasons for the Seahawks and Colts, respectively.
A long-term Darnold deal would’ve ended the McCarthy journey, and the Vikings weren’t ready to commit to that despite a 35-touchdown season. Jones had an offer on the table but preferred to go to the Colts, as he saw Anthony Richardson as beatable competition.
With those three guys thriving elsewhere, it’s not hard at all to be disappointed, especially with McCarthy’s struggles and injuries.
Yet, it’s important to remember that McCarthy is still only 22 years old, and Maye wasn’t the only guy drawing rave reviews in joint practices.
Developing a young quarterback isn’t a linear journey. There’s no guarantee it’s ultimately going to work out, but patience is required. McCarthy’s next chance to see the field will come on Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles visit U.S. Bank Stadium. His ankle injury remains a major question, though.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.