Questions Answered: Sam Darnold’s Next Team, Top Priority for Vikings, Will Any Coaches Leave?
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the January 23rd edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: Sam Darnold’s Next Team, Top Priority for Vikings, Will Any Coaches Leave?
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.
Q: If it’s not the Vikings, where will Sam Darnold end up?
Answer: We will predict the Las Vegas Raiders.
Las Vegas has these roster needs:
- QB1
- RB1
- WR1
- CB1
- EDGE
- ILB1
And they can’t realistically draft Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward with the sixth overall pick unless they trade up the board. Can a team really trade up the board with that many roster needs?
Meanwhile, the Raiders just hired John Spytek as general manager from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He recently watched as Baker Mayfield’s career totally rejuvenated. So, let’s roll with Spytek thinking he can do the same for Darnold.
Q: Now that Kevin O’Connell is signed, what’s the Vikings’ top priority?
Answer: Getting J.J. McCarthy ready as the QB1 for Week 1.
Sam Darnold blundered when Minnesota needed him the most, decreasing his chances of a second act in the Twin Cities. Thankfully, McCarthy is waiting to take the big job, and after his meniscus tear last August, the top focus is readying McCarthy for Week 1.
And general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah sounded optimistic about McCarthy in 2025 last week.
“He’s on the field, throwing and training. He looks great. He’s excited. You talk about a kid who’s just obsessed with football and loves being around the game. So, we’re excited about what we have in him. We’re excited for this offseason for him. It’s a big offseason. And then, we’ll continue from there,” Adofo-Mensah said.
Minnesota also has roster needs at CB, iDL, and iOL, so don’t forget those priorities.
Q: Do you think any of Minnesota’s coaches who have interviews for promotions will come back?
Answer: Probably all of them, actually.
Brian Flores has a Hail Mary chance left with the Jacksonville Jaguars to earn a head coaching job. Josh McCown could become the New York Jets’ offensive coordinator, but we’ll bet he returns to Minnesota.
And then Grant Udinski is still in the mix for Seattle’s OC job.
Overall, though, it’s probably likely that all three will return to Minnesota in 2025. Udinski probably has the best shot to land a promotion.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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