The Minnesota Vikings have already had a rollercoaster of a year and the season hasn’t even kicked off yet. The team started the 2024 calendar year with Kirk Cousins but ended up with the National Champion J.J. McCarthy. Then, the team seemed to be gearing up for Sam Darnold to lead the Vikings.
After a preseason game, it appeared that McCarthy might get the nod. Now, thanks to injury, Darnold appears to be the starter for the moment.
After an already unpredictable year for the franchise, even more turns are likely to happen in the future.
Here’s a look at three bold predictions for the Vikings this season.
Sam Darnold keeps Vikings afloat until J.J. McCarthy’s return
The Vikings appear to be stuck with Darnold for at least the foreseeable future. According to Adam Schefter, the timeline for McCarthy’s return isn’t set in stone, but the quarterback will have surgery. As such, it likely will be more than a week-to-week injury.
However, Darnold, after spending time with Kyle Shanahan in 2023, is up to the task. He keeps the team afloat long enough for McCarthy to get a chance to start this season.
As such, the Vikings manage to salvage a way to see McCarthy in a position with high stakes. Of course, under that pressure in a new league, the jury is out on how well he will seize the moment.
Justin Jefferson falls short of setting new career yardage record
Once again, it appears that Justin Jefferson is heading into a year with uncertainty at quarterback. While he managed to earn 1000 yards in an injury-riddled season last year, he manages to stay healthy this year. After signing his new deal, fans have hyped him up for his best season yet. However, he doesn’t quite hit that mark.
Jefferson’s career-best yardage was in 2022 at 1809 yards.
Of course, with such a high bar set, this doesn’t mean he is in for a horrible season by any stretch. However, he does fall short of knocking on the door of 2000 yards. Fans will point to the quarterback instability, and in 2025, Jefferson will get another crack at it with McCarthy in full control of his circumstances.
Vikings finish behind Bears
With Darnold leading the team this year, the Vikings will hang in the playoff conversation deep into November. However, once the snow starts to fall, so does the team’s win percentage. That is, at least enough to fall behind the Bears, who see their first nine-win season since 2018.
The Packers also see a strong season, finishing ahead of the Vikings. The Lions, continuing to ride momentum from 2023, finish with a winning record, as well.
Ergo, the Vikings finish last in the division. However, unlike many teams caught flat-footed in the position, the Vikings can point to McCarthy’s second season as a real reason for a fast turnaround next year.
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