Leading NFL Voice Blasts Vikings on Social Media
No need to look for a punching bag once things go on sale on Friday. Instead, just grab a number for the ever-growing lineup to beat up on the Vikings.
A leading NFL voice — Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk — offered his two cents on social media. The initial thought to arise on Monday, November 24th: “The sooner the Vikings admit and address their flaws the sooner they can be something other than an every-other-year contender to go one-and-done. Special teams coordinator. OL coach. Front office. Lots of bad drafts picks. Lots of bad moves. Absentee ownership doesn’t help.”
NFL Voice Mike Florio Not Impressed by Vikings
Florio, a Vikings fan once upon a time, offered some more thoughts. A follow-up idea: “The Vikings are basically a high-functioning dysfunctional team.”
Alright, some different thoughts to unpack.
Start off with one that doesn’t appear to be true: the charge of absent ownership. To my eye, the Wilfs are steady, generous owners. They’re to be applauded — not critiqued — for their willingness to take a hands-off approach. Simply provide the funds so that the football folks have the best possible chance of success. The 2025 season hasn’t been good, but that’s not on the Wilfs.
So, too, can there be some push back on the special teams claim.
Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels isn’t perfect (who is?). But while there have been some gaffes and foibles, Coach Daniels has coaxed excellence out of several players. K1 Will Reichard has been fantastic. So has P1 Ryan Wright. Andrew DePaola has been a Pro Bowler and an All Pro every season with Coach Daniels. Rookie PR1/KR1 Myles Price hasn’t been without spot or blemish, but he’s as dangerous of a returner that Minnesota has had a long time.
Daniels isn’t the issue.
Along the offensive line, there’s reason for concern. Chris Kuper demands a lot of respect. Too often, though, the o-line has been subpar. Working against Minnesota is that Ed Ingram is shining over in Houston after brutal ineptitude in three years with the Vikings. That’s a strike against Coach Kuper. Is Christian Darrisaw going to take the next step? The left tackle is very good but a step below elite even though he has that level within him.
Mike Florio also loops the front office into things. He’s onto something.
Some insist that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s draft shortcomings are contained to 2022. That’s not true.
The 2022 draft class was awful. The crown jewel is Jalen Nailor, a 6th-Round receiver who is sitting on a touch above 300 receiving yards in 2025. Very good chance, folks, that not a single player from that ten-person draft gets kept around on a second contract.
The cluster of talent from 2023 has shrunk from six players to two players. Jordan Addison has oodles of talent and promise but has been hindered by off-field shenanigans (that’s putting it kindly). Jay Ward has done good things, but he’s mostly a special teams player.
Seeing J.J. McCarthy play such terrible football puts a tough spin on the 2024 group (the latest injury doesn’t help). The 2025 group has already gone from five to four with Kobe King becoming a Jet, but opting for LG1 Donovan Jackson in the 1st does appear like a nice addition.
No doubt, Adofo-Mensah has made a pile of poor moves in the draft. Even worse, the recent free agency haul hasn’t been able to overcome the draft shortcomings in the same way that the ’24 FA adds did.
Mike Florio, like other NFL voices, believes that the Vikings need to fix their flaws. Move on from the poor decisions so that a roster that does have talent can do something. The simple, matter-of-fact declaration is indisputably true even as it’s difficult to properly implement.
We’ll see how the Vikings respond in Week 13 when they go toe-to-toe with Sam Darnold, arguably one of the main mistakes of the past offseason insofar as he’s a strong passer.
