Aug 19, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) during the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports.
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the May 21st edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to DustinBakerNFL@gmail.com.
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Answer: Sam Darnold will be too good to let J.J. McCarthy on the field.
As a standalone free-agent addition, we don’t necessarily believe Darnold will set the world on fire. However, it will be a “very Vikings thing” for Darnold to take off inside Kevin O’Connell’s offense and become “too good” for McCarthy to sniff the field in 2024.
Then, at some point during the season or next February, fans will debate Darnold or McCarthy — not unlike Case Keenum versus the world during the 2018 offseason. It’s just something that happens to the Minnesota Vikings. Quarterbacks perform well, and fans line up along fault lines to state their cases for their guy.
Darnold will be the next example. He’ll fire up 28 touchdowns and 10 picks — just good enough to mesmerize some.
Answer: Our prediction — since January — is four years and $132 million. Probably $100 guaranteed.
That will make Jefferson the richest wide receiver in NFL history and fasten him to Minnesota’s depth chart for the next five years. Conveniently, those five years will exactly align with J.J. McCarthy’s first contract with the team.
We say $33 million per year.
A: Parker Romo, the “other” kicker.
Romo was flying high in March and well into April, on deck as the Vikings’ kicking solution after Greg Joseph did the unthinkable by joining the Green Bay Packers.
However, Minnesota used the draft to select Will Reichard, and he’s virtually guaranteed to be the kicker, barring a bizarre summer meltdown. Of course, Minnesota won’t keep two kickers. Romo, sadly, will be the odd man out, paving the way for Reichard.
The Vikings are starved for a franchise kicker.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.