The Top 3 Vikings Developments from Offseason Week No. 1
The Minnesota Vikings’ will play their next regular season game in eight months, so the club has ample time to prepare for head coach Kevin O’Connell’s fourth act.
Minnesota finished 2024 with a 14-3 record, accompanied by a disappointing Round 1 playoff flop.
Vikings Offseason: The Top 3 Vikings Developments from 1st Week
Free agency is less than two months away, the draft is 14 weeks around the bend, and the club’s schedule will be released in May.
And to kick off the party, these were the top three developments of offseason week No. 1 ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most important).
3. Brian Flores, Josh McCown Could Be Stolen
This weekend, Flores has interviewed for head coaching gigs with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets. Many expected teams to express interest in Flores last offseason because of how quickly he turned around the Vikings’ defense from 2022 to 2023, but no such interviews occurred.
Vikings quarterback coach Josh McCown, too, interviewed for the Jets’ job. He spent time there as a player.
If Flores departs for an HC gig, Minnesota might pursue a DC replacement like Robert Saleh, Jerod Mayo, or Brandon Staley.
Flores’ would-be promotion elsewhere threatens coaching continuity in the Twin Cities, but that’s just how it goes.
2. J.J. McCarthy Is Precisely on Track
McCarthy will be ready for the QB1 job sooner rather than later.
“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,” general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said Thursday.
McCarthy tore his meniscus in the preseason.
“But I can’t sit here and tell you I know anything for certain. I know that I’m willing to believe in the person that we have. That position is about talent and preparation — and he’s got those things in spades. So, if that’s the course of action we decide, we’ll go in there confidently,” he added.
All things McCarthy are on track.
1. Kevin O’Connell Will Be the Coach for the Long Haul
Reporters asked O’Connell if he wanted to sign an extension this offseason in Minnesota, and he responded, “I do. I’ve had great dialogue with our ownership this week and reflection as the season came to an end. Anything beyond that, I would prefer to kind of keep those discussions internal.”
O’Connell also said two weeks ago, “What I can tell you is I love this team. I love everything about this organization. This is where I want to be. This is where I want to keep coaching and leading.”
A long-term extension is coming.
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 Vikings 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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.