4 Takeaways from Vikings Year-End Press Conference
The Minnesota Vikings’ offseason hit the year-end press conference point on Thursday, as general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell hopped in front for reporters to answer questions.
Vikings Press Conference: 4 Year-End Takeaways
Minnesota finished the 2024 campaign with a 14-3 record but flamed out in the Wildcard Round of the postseason. Oddsmakers forecasted the club for six or seven wins back in September.
So, heading into the offseason, these were the four main takeaways from the year-end press conference, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most important).
4. Daniel Jones Is in the Mix for 2025
Minnesota signed Daniel Jones in November after the New York Giants parted ways with the veteran passer. Many have speculated that Jones could fill the “Sam Darnold role” next season — and that is, indeed, on the table.
Adofo-Mensah said about Jones, “He’s a potential option for us going forward. Most important position in the sport. We’re excited to have potential options that we think can come here and give us a certain required level of play that can help us compete and win games.”
If Darnold bolts, Jones is a viable QB2 option.
3. Won’t Commit to Sam Darnold to Start Offseason
Normally, with a quarterback who just tossed 35 touchdowns, a team’s general manager would say the franchise wanted him back.
This was Adofo-Mensah’s reply about Darnold, “You’re talking about the most important position in our sport. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to assemble a lot of talented players in that room. We got to see Sam play some incredible football for us. Won a lot of big games, we’re talking about games where he won them for us. Everything we do is about what’s the team around him going to look like? I’m excited to have those conversations. I think we’ve got a lot of good options.”
Darnold is in the mix to perhaps return, but there was no emphatic “we want him back” endorsement. One might think a Pro Bowl passer would automatically receive reunion treatment, but Darnold crumbled in the most recent two games.
2. Kevin O’Connell Trade Rumors = Silly
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.”
Pro Football Talk mentioned “tension” between the Vikings ownership and O’Connell this week, but O’Connell confirmed no such hearsay.
1. J.J. McCarthy Safely on Track for 2025
The Vikings appear on track to become McCarthy’s team 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,” Adofo-Mensah said.
“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.
That, unlike the Darnold speech from Adofo-Mensah, sounds like an endorsement.
Vikings Have a “Secret Superstar”
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.
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