The Minnesota Vikings‘ season went awry in 2023 due to injury. However, with that in the rearview mirror and training camp approaching, the Vikings are looking for a bounce-back season that can set them up for the future.
Unanswered Questions Ahead of Minnesota Vikings Training Camp
After last year’s disappointment, the Vikings spent the offseason getting younger, letting go of long-term veterans to bring in fresh talent. There’s a lot of new and unknown in Minnesota, marking the start of a rebuild and a focus on the future.
Let’s analyze and discuss the Vikings’ biggest question marks heading into NFL training camp.
Will Sam Darnold Hold Off J.J. McCarthy for the Starting QB Job?
After suffering a season-ending injury in 2023, the Vikings let quarterback Kirk Cousins walk in free agency after six seasons with the team. Now, they turn to either Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy to lead them in 2024 and potentially beyond.
Darnold has had a disappointing career since being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. After two failed stints with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, he served as Brock Purdy’s backup in San Francisco last season. Now, Darnold is hoping to win the starting job in Minnesota and potentially turn his career around.
After signing a one-year, $10 million contract, it appears that Darnold won’t be anything more than a bridge quarterback for Minnesota at best, with McCarthy sitting in the wing. However, if Darnold outperforms McCarthy in training camp, and has an impressive season in a Vikings offense loaded with talent at the skill positions, he could parlay this opportunity into a starting role elsewhere next season.
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McCarthy, on the other hand, is the young, exciting option. Fresh off winning the national championship with Michigan in 2023, the Vikings selected him No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. At just 21 years old, he was named first-team All-Big Ten in 2023, throwing for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and four interceptions.
McCarthy, however, was never really asked to be the focal point at Michigan, mainly due to their strong run game. Combined with his young age, this gives the Vikings plenty of reasons to let him sit on the bench as a rookie and develop.
Ultimately, McCarthy could surpass Darnold in training camp if he excels, but the expectation is that the rookie will sit.
When Will T.J. Hockenson Return From His Knee Injury?
Another major injury last season was T.J. Hockenson’s torn ACL and MCL in the team’s Week 16 loss to the Detroit Lions. That begs the question, when will he be back on the field?
“They haven’t really put a timeline on it. We’re just kinda taking it day by day, week by week. There’s just so many variables that you can go through in this process,” said Hockenson back in May.
However, he did speak on it again when he appeared on an episode of the “Bussin’ with the Boys” podcast.
T.J. Hockenson breaks down the play that ended his 2023 season but is more than confident he will be back and better than ever this year pic.twitter.com/5vQdrrftzK
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB)
“I feel really comfortable about being able to come back and be the player I was and even be better,” said Hockenson.
If he’s not able to return by Week 1 or later in the season, it will be a significant blow to the Vikings’ offense. Last season, Hockenson almost surpassed 1,000 yards and likely would have if not for his injury. He finished with 95 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns.
Minnesota will rely on several players to replicate a fraction of his production. Led by Josh Oliver, who is primarily a blocker, the Vikings could also get playtime from Johnny Mundt and Robert Tonyan. In 2023, Oliver, Mundt, and Tonyan combined for 497 yards and three touchdowns. Additionally, they moved N’Keal Harry from wide receiver to tight end.
How Will New Players Fit in Brian Flores’ Defense?
One of the lone bright spots for the Vikings in a disappointing 2023 season was the improvement in their defense, led by DC Brian Flores. After finishing with the 31st-ranked defense in yards per game allowed in 2022, they improved to 16th last season in their first season with Flores.
Minnesota, however, has a lot of new defensive talent that will need to fit into Flores’ scheme. While the Vikings do return Ivan Pace Jr. at inside linebacker, they have new starters at both outside LB spots, middle linebacker, right cornerback, and defensive tackle.
Some of the notable new names include Jonathan Greenard, Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Shaq Griffin, and Jerry Tillery.
These additions also mean the loss of significant experience. While Harrison Smith returns at strong safety for his 13th season, the team lost Danielle Hunter, D.J. Wonnum, and Jordan Hicks, who collectively brought 14 years of experience with the Vikings.
Nevertheless, there is potential for net improvement. Van Ginkel, Turner, and Greenard should bolster the pass rush, while Cashman can provide an upgrade at inside LB alongside Pace after a career season with the Houston Texans.
Training camp will be crucial, revealing how each new player fits into the defense and how much they will contribute.
Who Will Step Up in Danielle Hunter’s Absence?
As mentioned before, the Vikings lost Hunter, one of the best pass rushers in the NFL during his eight seasons with Minnesota, to the Texans in free agency. In 2023 alone, Hunter had 16.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, ranking fifth in the NFL.
To replace his production, the Vikings’ biggest addition was Greenard, who joined Minnesota on a four-year, $76 million deal. Coming from Houston, Greenard could essentially be seen as a trade for Hunter. In 2023, he recorded 12.5 sacks and one forced fumble in 15 games.
But it isn’t just Greenard. The Vikings also brought in Van Ginkel from the Miami Dolphins on a two-year, $20 million deal. He contributed six sacks in 2023, playing mostly in a third-down pass-rusher role.
Finally, the Vikings added Turner in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft, trading up with the Jacksonville Jaguars to get him. Turner brings 22.5 career sacks, with 10 of them and two forced fumbles coming in 2023.
In total, the Vikings brought in 28.5 sacks and three forced fumbles from 2023 to replace Hunter’s production. The question now is whether one of them will step up as the superstar he was or if success will require a collective effort from each to achieve.
Will Someone Step Up at Outside Cornerback?
While the Vikings have answers at pass rush, linebacker, and even safety, there’s a big question mark at cornerback, specifically on the outside.
Byron Murphy Jr. is likely to hold down one of the two spots, returning to Minnesota for his second season with the team. In his first season with the Vikings, he allowed a 67.3% completion percentage, 781 yards, six touchdowns, and a 97.8 rating, suggesting room for improvement.
However, the other spot is wide open. The competitors? Griffin, Mekhi Blackmon, and Akayleb Evans.
Griffin joins the team through free agency after spending 2023 with the Texans and Panthers. In 13 games, including seven starts, he allowed a 60.5% completion percentage, 306 yards, zero touchdowns, and a 72.4 rating. His last full-time starting job in 2022 with the Jaguars saw him struggle before being cut.
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Evans started 15 games for the Vikings in 2023, but they weren’t very effective. While recording one interception, he allowed a 70.4% completion percentage, 780 yards, six touchdowns, and a 120.4 rating.
Blackmon, a rookie in 2023, started just three games. In those outings, he recorded one interception while allowing a 61.5% completion percentage, 295 yards, two touchdowns, and an 81.8 rating.
With cornerback as the team’s biggest defensive weakness, Minnesota will need one of these three to step up into a starting role and provide solid production.