With the recent news of Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy being lost for the season due to a torn meniscus, veteran quarterback Sam Darnold will be the full-time starter in 2024.
The 27-year-old Darnold, who has 56 career NFL starts, is now on his fourth different NFL team. Despite not finding much success with teams like the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers, he now has an opportunity to showcase his skills as the starter in the Twin Cities.
Fox Sports’s Colin Cowherd finds the Darnold situation intriguing. “The Darnold thing is fascinating because (the Vikings) really do have very nice offensive personnel…They’ll win games,” Cowherd recently said on The Herd.
Darnold has some really solid pieces to work with from an offensive perspective.
All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson, former Pro Bowl running back Aaron Jones, and exciting NFL sophomore Jordan Addison (10 touchdown catches as a rookie in 2023) are all in the fold around Darnold.
It will be up to head coach Kevin O’Connell and Darnold to find success from under center.
Perhaps Darnold’s previous experience in San Francisco last season in a similar offensive system to Minnesota’s can help propel him forward.
The former All-Pac-12 performer is still looking to become a superstar, and as veteran quarterbacks such as Ryan Tannehill, Baker Mayfield, and Geno Smith have done in recent years, perhaps he can have a rebirth.
As tough as the McCarthy injury is for him and Vikings fans, Darnold could be set up for a bounce-back season this year.
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