Realistic case for the Minnesota Vikings

By: Jake Rajala

The Minnesota Vikings brought home a record of 14-3 last season! They did this with the once “NFL bust” Sam Darnold. With that said, they are looking to repeat success without Darnold. Well, I’m going to untwine the best and worst case for the Minnesota Vikings.

Sam Darnold revived his formerly flailing career in an emphatic way last NFL season.

The QB was in MVP conversations, but his final two games with the Vikings left a stench.

He is running point for a new team now. And he knows needs to prove himself again. pic.twitter.com/9w8FLSMRl3

— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) June 19, 2025

Worst

J.J. McCarthy could turn out to be a stud or a bust. He makes crisp throws a lot, but it’s hard to simulate pressure or consistency. I thought it was a mistake to let Sam Darnold, who played like an All-Pro last season, to leave. The other drawback for the Vikings is that the Detroit Lions will be there to hold the first seed. Even more so, the Chicago Bears will look to return to the playoffs with a QB that had his rookie struggles in Caleb Williams. It could be a toss-up between the Vikings and all the other NFC North teams in my opinion.

Best

If the Vikings wanted to let Darnold leave, they obviously felt McCarthy had traits they wanted to work with – even if it meant they would struggle early on. We witnessed Bo Nix struggle for the first quarter of 2024. In the end, he led his team to the playoffs. We also can’t forget that Justin Jefferson is a Top-3 WR and he can bury defenses. TJ Hockenson can also be a security blanket for McCarthy.

The Vikings are one of the best teams in the league. They are potentially improving the QB spot, too. If McCarthy struggles, they still have Jefferson, Hockenson, and Aaron Jones. I love that Sam Howell is their QB2. He may be somewhat inconsistent, but he can make all the throws.