Vikings Called Out for a Red Flag
Minnesota Vikings training camp is precisely one month away, and the club will begin putting the trimmings on a 53-man roster in Eagan.
CBS Sports found a red flag for the Vikings heading into 2025, questioning a spot on the roster. It’s also on the minds of many national pundits.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah used the offseason’s last several months to construct a roster worthy of Super Bowl contention, a welcome sight after Minnesota manufactured a one-and-done playoff showing in January.
And according to CBS Sports, the Vikings are one of the league’s Top 10 Super Bowl contenders, but have a red flag — the quarterback situation.
CBS Sports Names Red Flag for Vikings
Cody Benjamin at CBS Sports identified 10 Super Bowl contenders this week and found something wrong with each one.
For Minnesota, he wrote, “Quarterback uncertainty. It’s rare you find a team so equipped for a deep playoff run yet without so much as a morsel of certainty under center. J.J. McCarthy may have the full support of a winning staff led by Kevin O’Connell, whose chief strength besides perpetual ‘Minnesota Nice’ optimism is maximizing his quarterbacks, but he’s still a 22-year-old with zero real NFL snaps under his belt.”
“Facing not only a difficult schedule but inflated expectations from fans who watched Sam Darnold win 14 games a year ago, he’s at least got the weapons and staff to aid his debut.”
All things considered, Benjamin’s observation is fair.
The Vikings Are a Contender But with a Red Flag, Says National Media
There is solace in knowing that the purple team, alas, is a Super Bowl contender.
Minnesota Named a “Contender,” Though
The sweet part? Benjamin scoured the league for 10 Super Bowl contenders, and the purple team made the cut. Minnesota almost never finds inclusion in preseason lists of legitimate contenders, so to have a “red flag” as a Top 10 contender is basically a compliment.
It’s elite company.
Benjamin mentioned his criteria: “Adversity is part of the championship journey, and some of the league’s top projected contenders for 2025 have their fair share of potential weaknesses. But what, exactly, are those weaknesses? And how pressing might they be?”
So, yes — Minnesota is right there with the big boys like the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles this summer.
Of Course There Is QB Uncertainty
Let’s not forget that Benjamin’s musings teeter on Captain Obvious territory.
Minnesota has chosen to promote J.J. McCarthy this offseason, allowing Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and Nick Mullens to leave via free agency for new teams. Adofo-Mensah also said “no thanks” to future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers, who proposed a one-year relationship so he and O’Connell’s squad could chase a Super Bowl.
Minnesota is willingly embarking on the unknown, throwing caution to the wind and betting on McCarthy’s rapid maturation this season. Otherwise, Adofo-Mensah would’ve “played it safe” by re-signing Darnold or Jones.
These Vikings signed up for Benjamin’s “quarterback uncertainty” and are embracing it. It’s why they cut Kirk Cousins loose 15 months ago and drafted McCarthy in the first place. The team is ready for this moment.
The Rest of the Enterprise Is Just Fine
The refreshing part? The quarterback section of the roster may be the only spot with a red flag. Some fans have asked the club to add another starting cornerback, but other than McCarthy’s youth and Minnesota betting it all on Isaiah Rodgers, a free-agent newcomer cornerback, the depth chart is in fantastic shape.
A Top 2 defense from last year hasn’t fundamentally changed or lost its leader, Brian Flores. The offensive playmakers are the same, with additions of running back Jordan Mason and rookie wideout Tai Felton.
And the coaching staff will feature widespread continuity.
McCarthy will begin his career in a fantastic setting, with virtually no debates, even from the most skeptical fans.
Red Flags for the Lions, Packers
Benjamin called the Lions and Packers Super Bowl contenders, too.
He noted on the Packers’ red flag: “Depth and durability. It was one thing for Jordan Love to battle multiple injuries in 2024; it was another for the quarterback to lose practically his entire receiving corps to various ailments by year’s end.”
“The Packers did their best to bolster their depth this offseason, spending not one but two early draft picks on receiver help, but at the end of the day, Matt LaFleur needs his arsenal to stay on the field to ensure his steady rate of postseason bids continues. That includes on defense, where Nate Hobbs will be tasked with filling the shoes of the also-oft-banged-up Jaire Alexander.”
And for Detroit: “Staffing shakeups. If it were up to Dan Campbell, the Lions probably would’ve just run it back on the coaching staff. Instead, the beloved leader is set to enter 2025 without two of his right-hand men in Ben Johnson, the aggressive play-caller of Detroit’s all-star offense; and Aaron Glenn, the rah-rah spokesman for the defense; after both coordinators landed top jobs of their own.”
“Campbell’s fiery touch is still as evident as the Lions’ enviable skill talent. But weathering such a dramatic shift in sideline personnel is easier said than done. Just ask the Eagles of 2023.”
The Chicago Bears were not included on the list of Super Bowl contenders. Otherwise, three NFC North teams wiggled into the CBS Sports Top 10 — pretty wild.
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