This Vikings team is built to win right now. They’ve been making strategic moves over the past couple of seasons to build a winning roster, and, on paper, it now looks like one of the best in the NFL.
Minnesota completely restructured the interior of its offensive line during the offseason, securing two former Indianapolis Colts linemen, center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries. Both signed significant free agency contracts and bring a wealth of experience to the roster.
The franchise then drafted guard Donovan Jackson out of Ohio State, completing the rebuild of the offensive line.
The Vikings’ group of offensive weapons is as good as any in the league. They have a superstar wide receiver in Justin Jefferson, an explosive WR2 in Jordan Addison, and one of the league’s best pass-catching tight ends in TJ Hockenson.
Aaron Jones has been a reliable running back in the NFL for several years now, and Minnesota signed Jordan Mason, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, to add great depth to the position.
Then switching focus to Brian Flores and his defense, which has been one of the most aggressive and punishing defenses in the NFL, especially in the front seven.
They signed both Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in free agency, spending $81 million on the two contracts. The two veterans were among the best defensive linemen available in the offseason, and Minnesota managed to land both of them.
They now join Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel coming off the edge, two outside linebackers with excellent pass rush ability, who can thrive in Flores’ system.
One of the only question marks about this roster is the secondary, but with a front seven as good as the Vikings, it might not be much of a concern.
With a roster that good, the Vikings are expecting to win right now. The fans are gearing up for a Super Bowl push, and analysts are predicting 13+ wins for the franchise going into the season.
That’s a lot of pressure for what is essentially a rookie quarterback. McCarthy is yet to play a snap in the NFL, but does have a season of mental reps and notes under his belt.
Dan Orlovsky was asked about the Vikings QB on the Pat McAfee show, to which he replied:
“Minnesota is the easiest place in the NFL to play quarterback this year. It’s as good an offensive roster as we have in the NFL. Then you combine it with play scheme and play caller in Kevin O’Connell, a lot of guys would go to Minnesota and play good football.
“I think JJ and the skills and the foundation that he has. He’s a play-on-rhythm, listen to his feet when it comes to when and where to throw the football, the timing of the way he plays the position, the way he was taught to play the position at Michigan, is perfect for what is the necessary stuff to play that position in Minnesota.”
He talked about the Vikings offense and McCarthy in detail, and finished by saying: “It’s muscle memory for him, and so, I think because of the offensive line and the people that they have, I think he’s going to play really well.”
JJ McCarthy’s situation is similar to that of Patrick Mahomes
This isn’t to say that JJ McCarthy is Patrick Mahomes, but the situation he’s going into in his second season in the NFL is very similar. What he does with that opportunity is a different conversation.
When Mahomes took over in Kansas City, he’d been in the building for a complete year and only started one game when the Chiefs’ spot in the playoffs was already secured. Outside of that he sat behind Alex Smith, learned everything he could in the QB room and then went out and executed at practice when given the opportunity.
Mahomes landed with a great offensive mind (Andy Reid), a team loaded with playmakers, including a star wide receiver (Tyreek Hill) and an excellent pass-catching tight end (Travis Kelce).
The Chiefs had been to the playoffs the year before but crashed out in the wildcard round with Alex Smith leading the offense. Despite a winning year, they moved on to the young quarterback and continued to build around him, and we know how that turned out.
Mahomes won the MVP for the 2018 season and led the Chiefs all the way to the AFC Championship game in his first year starting.
McCarthy is inheriting a team that went to the playoffs with a veteran QB in Sam Darnold, but crashed out in the wildcard round, just as the Chiefs did in 2017.
He’s slotting into an offense primed to win right now, with one of the best young offensive minds in the NFL in Kevin O’Connell. He has everything he needs to play well right away, and has the year of valuable experience behind him just as Mahomes did in that 2017 season.
The situation couldn’t be much better for a young quarterback. The execution is what matters now.
