Questions Answered: Top Pro Bowl Snub for Vikings, Daniel Jones, the DET Fear
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the January 2nd edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: Top Pro Bowl Snub for Vikings, Daniel Jones, the DET Fear
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: Who’s the Vikings’ top Pro Bowl snub, in your opinion?
Answer: Right tackle Brian O’Neill.
O’Neill has held down his side of Minnesota’s offensive line for seven seasons. He became even more vital when left tackle Christian Darrisaw tore his ACL in Week 8. His 81.0 PFF score is more than enough to get Pro Bowl recognition, but men like Lane Johnson, Tristan Wirfs, and Penei Sewell are just too good to exclude.
He’s the fourth alternate among NFC offensive tackles, at least.
We understand that Johnson, Wirfs, and Sewell are too good to dethrone, so hopefully, O’Neill will get in through the alternate process.
Blake Cashman didn’t receive much Pro Bowl love, either. He’s another snub.
Q: Do you think Daniel Jones will be back with Minnesota in 2025?
Answer: We’d say about 60% on this one.
And according to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson — who is usually accurate with Vikings reporting — Minnesota is interested in re-upping with Jones in 2025.
“On Daniel Jones, yes, there is mutual interest, that continued, that Daniel Jones is with the Vikings next year,” Wolfson told SKOR North’s Mackey and Judd Show on Thursday.
Re-upping with Jones would strongly hint that Minnesota will let Darnold depart via free agency or franchise-tag-and-trade. It would be unlikely for the Vikings to keep Darnold, Jones, and rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy. In theory, the club could make it work, but Jones is too good for a QB3 assignment. He’s a high-end QB2.
Q: What’s your biggest fear about the Lions?
Answer: The inevitability of their offense.
Minnesota’s assignment will be about containment on Sunday, as it’s nearly impossible to hold Detroit below 24 points.
Sizing up most non-Lions opponents, fans can hope for a strong defensive showing from the purple team. However, playing the Lions, you should hope an utter shootout doesn’t unfold.
Our biggest fear is Minnesota not being equipped for a 45-42 shootout, for example.
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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