Vikings Go 3-for-3 with Offseason Perfection

Vikings
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah & Kevin O’Connell Talk Free Agent Moves, Future at Quarterback & 2023 NFL Draft in Eagan, Minnesota, on April 13th, 2023. Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell joined the organization in January and February 2022, respectively.

Arguably one of the most important offseasons in franchise history, the Minnesota Vikings had a trio of key situations to sort through, and watching the dust now settle, it’s hard to suggest they didn’t nail all three.

Vikings Go 3-for-3 with Offseason Perfection

First, there was Kirk Cousins. Deciding to what extent they would pursue his services for 2024 and beyond was a question, and how much of a financial commitment it would require remained to be seen. Ultimately, the Vikings dabbled but let the Atlanta Falcons pay a goofy price and watched him take his services down south.

rookie
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports.

Minnesota still stands to benefit from the Cousins situation, as they could be compensated if the Atlanta Falcons are investigated for illegal tampering. Even if that doesn’t work in their favor, they benefit by not having a boatload of dollars wrapped up in a good-not-great veteran quarterback who has already failed to get the job done for them.

It became time to focus on the draft after moving on from Cousins and ultimately signing Sam Darnold as a bridge option. With talk of moving into the top three for Drake Maye, the Vikings held onto their draft capital and were able to make a pair of first-round picks. Grabbing J.J. McCarthy and needing to move up just a single spot to grab him, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah read the board perfectly.

Vikings Place 2 Players on IR, Sign 2 New
Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports.

McCarthy now gets to work with Kevin O’Connell and the rest of Minnesota’s infrastructure as he acclimates to the highest level. He also has the best situation of any rookie quarterback when it comes to playmakers surrounding him, and expecting that to go a long way concerning his success is a pretty solid bet.

The new quarterback also now gets to develop early rapport with superstar wideout Justin Jefferson, and it happens knowing they’ll be teammates for at least the next five years. When the Vikings set records in paying Justin Jefferson, the commitment immediately made the wide receiver a long-term fixture, and he’ll be part of offseason work much earlier than expected.

Jefferson and McCarthy can begin working on their connection as the Vikings start mandatory work this week. That will carry over into the training camp portion of the summer, and the duo will hope to have early success when they start hooking up on Sundays.

Willing to Make Splashy
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

There were three focal points for the offseason, and it’s hard to conclude anything other than each being the most ideal outcome.


Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.