Vikings Get Some Love for a Forgotten Offseason Move
The Minnesota Vikings have had an eventful offseason with various changes on the roster. Past weaknesses, such as the offensive and defensive lines, have been checked off the to-do list and are in the rearview mirror.
Vikings Get Some Love for a Forgotten Offseason Move
Opinions can vary on the best or favorite offseason acquisition, but one thing should be clear: The Vikings’ best move was not bringing in a new player; it was extending Kevin O’Connell’s contract.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando agrees with that sentiment. He named his favorite move for each of the 32 franchises, and he picked, indeed, O’Connell’s new deal.
Sando wrote: “Extending coach Kevin O’Connell’s contract ended speculation that his future might be elsewhere, locking in stability at one of the most critical positions in the organization. I was less excited about some of the personnel moves Minnesota made, primarily because the team added so many older players with injury concerns.”
It was a rather crazy time for Skol Nation because the, at the time, favorite to win Coach of the Year, suddenly appeared in trade rumors right as the franchise entered the crucial part of the season with a playoff-like contest in Detroit coming up, followed by an already-secured real playoff game.
Of course, both of those ended in disaster, but one thing remained true regardless of those two contests: O’Connell is the real deal. Coming over from the Rams in 2022, where he held the offensive coordinator position under Sean McVay, he immediately fixed the broken vibe that was left over from the previous regime, with Mike Zimmer and Rick Spielman calling the shots.
Without changing the roster too much, he boosted the team’s record from seven and eight wins in the previous two campaigns to 13 in his first year. A season with 7-10, in part because of Kirk Cousins’ injury, was followed by the magical 14-3 record. His resume shows an overall record of 34-17, which is quite remarkable.
A well-respected quarterback whisperer has already gotten career performances out of various passers and other signal-callers contemplating rare moves to come to the Twin Cities and play under KOC.
When the club announced the extension, O’Connell was quoted as saying: “It is an absolute honor to continue leading the Minnesota Vikings. Holding this prestigious position is something I never take for granted, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Wilf family for their unwavering belief in what we are building together. I also want to thank Leah and our incredible children; their love and support allow me to perform this job at a high level. And none of this would be possible without the dedication of our coaches, players and support staff. I can’t wait to get back to work with all of them as we continue to build upon the high standard we’ve set and the positive environment we’ve created.”
Implementing a positive culture has worked wonders for the Vikings, and whenever a new player arrives via free agency, they praise that exact culture. But nobody pointed towards O’Connell’s influence better than franchise cornerstone Brian O’Neill did a year ago when he referred to the NFLPA report cards.
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis wrote in an article last October: “‘You know the NFLPA report card?’ right tackle Brian O’Neill said in August, referring to the player survey that identified the Vikings as one of the most highly regarded teams in the league in terms of working conditions and environment. ‘(O’Connell) is the report card. He sets the tone for the entire building.'”
Mount Rushmore
Now that we’ve established the best move, who else could’ve gotten the nod? Let’s nominate the Mount Rushmore of Vikings moves in 2025.
Handing the Keys to J.J. McCarthy
Last year’s tenth overall pick, J.J. McCarthy, famously lost his rookie season due to a severe knee injury. This offseason, speculation about keeping Sam Darnold or signing Aaron Rodgers or another potential bridge starter was loud, but the franchise stuck with the original plan.
It’s McCarthy’s team going forward. That can, of course, backfire, but trusting that someone who hasn’t really created any negative buzz through 13 months is the obvious choice. There are nothing but good reports coming out of Eagan, Minnesota, and he has all the tools to be a successful quarterback in the NFL.
Fixing the Offensive Line
Because it’s hard to pick one specific move along the offensive line, let’s cheat a little and just praise all three moves. The Vikings acquired former Colts blockers Will Fries and Ryan Kelly in free agency and completed the overhaul by drafting Donovan Jackson in the first round.
McCarthy will be happy about the solidified protection that had bugged his predecessors for years.
Trading for Jordan Mason
Another player who will benefit from an improved interior offensive line, running back Jordan Mason, will be Aaron Jones’ new sidekick in the backfield. Jones was excellent in his first year with the Vikings, but he’s nearing his 31st birthday and has gotten banged up a few too many times in the last few years.
Keeping him fresh is key, and Jordan Mason is just the right guy to help there. The former 49er is a powerful rusher who has shown that he can handle a large workload if needed. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah found a perfect complement for a cheap trade price.
Vikings Golden Boy Speaks
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