Daily Norseman
The QB decision will continue to be the top discussion topic
NFL Insider weighs in on Vikings decision between Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy
The discussion about the Minnesota Vikings’ future at quarterback is going to get redundant and nauseating. It was like that last year with Kirk Cousins. Fans and analysts were relentless in discussing the quarterback situation.
That hasn’t changed much over the course of the last month. The discussion surrounding Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy has been relentless and consistent.
We will continue to hear multiple perspectives on the Vikings’ quarterback decision, one that likely hasn’t been made yet. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has always been the type of general manager to make decisions based on the best available data, which means waiting for potential contract negotiations.
On Friday afternoon, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport commented on the situation, raising more questions than answers.
“This actually a little bit, goes back to where the Vikings were last year. We’ll see what they end up deciding, but where the Vikings were last year, which is, we have a quarterback who’s going to get a big salary. We have a quarterback who’s going to earn a big salary. What kind of team can you put around him? And if you pay Darnold what he’s worth, which, based on the season he had, you know, was a comeback player of the year candidate, somehow had a really good season. It’s going to command big dollars. Can they build around the offensive line, defensive line like they need, or do they say J.J. McCarthy, we have seen enough where he is just our franchise quarterback, and we’re moving on from there,? All options on the table, is my understanding of where the Minnesota Vikings stand.”
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Sam Darnold’s pocket movement is considerably better than Kirk Cousins’. Darnold helped mitigate leaky protection in the regular season. But in their playoff loss to the Rams, the constant pressure on Darnold reminded fans that a middling line can be a fatal flaw. Interior pressure has hurt them for what feels like forever. According to Fantasy Pros, Darnold was hurried 52 times, tied for the fourth most in the league. He was only blitzed the 16th most in the league. Stats never tell the whole story, but that discrepancy, along with the eye test, is enough.
Top 5 interior offensive line options for Vikings early in 2025 NFL draft
Tyler Booker, Alabama
Armand Membou, Missouri
***Membou is one of several prospects who played tackle in college but probably fits better at guard in the NFL. At 6’3”, 314, he has the arm length and skill set to remain at tackle, but NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah believes he “has the tools to become an All-Pro guard,” comparing him to 2021 first-round pick Alijah Vera-Tucker. Membou is a big-time athlete who was one of the highest-graded tackles in the country...
