All Things 2024-25 Vikings Regular Season Thread

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Wally said:
We come in healthy and I think they will be motivated off the loss.

If we had won Sunday I think it could have been a trap game.
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The Indy game is now moved to Sunday Night Football so it could qualify. Hopefully Darnold doesn't have Prime Time issues like Cousins.
 

kg21 said:
Correct, but I was hoping our defense was better than that.

88% isn't going to last at all.

He's completing 73% on year. 88% is ridiculous.
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I'm going to wait for more than 1 game (especially against an offense that was red hot coming into the Zygi Dome) to draw any conclusions on the state of the Vikings Defense.
 

howeda7 said:
The Indy game is now moved to Sunday Night Football so it could qualify. Hopefully Darnold doesn't have Prime Time issues like Cousins.
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I can't explain it, but I just don't see Darnold having the it factor.

Darnold is a middle tier QB with a big arm. I like him as our QB at his current salary. We have weapons that make him better.

I predict he moves on and is about as successful Case Keenum.
 

Wally said:
I can't explain it, but I just don't see Darnold having the it factor.

Darnold is a middle tier QB with a big arm. I like him as our QB at his current salary. We have weapons that make him better.

I predict he moves on and is about as successful Case Keenum.
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I could see him taking less money to stay. He of all people should know fit matters and that he shouldn't just automatically go for the most money.

I agree, I don't think he's a superstar but even middle of the pack QB production is probably more than what we'd see out of JJM next year.

If he keeps playing the way he has and the Vikings make the playoffs, maybe win a game or two, what kind of money would he get next year? Would 2 for $50M be enough? That would be around Geno Smith money. Not sure.
 
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GophersInIowa said:
I could see him taking less money to stay. He of all people should know fit matters and that he shouldn't just automatically go for the most money.

I agree, I don't think he's a superstar but even middle of the pack QB production is probably more than what we'd see out of JJM next year.

If he keeps playing the way he has and the Vikings make the playoffs, maybe win a game or two, what kind of money would he get next year? Would 2 for $50M be enough? That would be around Geno Smith money. Not sure.
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Whatever the next contract ends up being, Darnold will have earned it.

That said, it will probably be more than what I want the Vikings to pay considering the draft capital we spent on JJM and the other holes we need to fill.

My take is a reverse rub, though. What good is "filling the other holes" if JJM isn't ready and we have a below average QB in a league where team success is so dependent on it?
 

Slim Tubby said:
Whatever the next contract ends up being, Darnold will have earned it.

That said, it will probably be more than what I want the Vikings to pay considering the draft capital we spent on JJM and the other holes we need to fill.

My take is a reverse rub, though. What good is "filling the other holes" if JJM isn't ready and we have a below average QB in a league where team success is so dependent on it?
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Yep, the goal is to find a good QB and win with him. If Darnold continues to play well, they resign him, he goes on to have another few good years, and JJM doesn't end up getting an opportunity with MN, then so be it.
 

Wally said:
I can't explain it, but I just don't see Darnold having the it factor.

Darnold is a middle tier QB with a big arm. I like him as our QB at his current salary. We have weapons that make him better.

I predict he moves on and is about as successful Case Keenum.
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I think the only way he's the starter next year is if they make the NFC Title game or better. And even then it's no better than 50/50.
 

Slim Tubby said:
Whatever the next contract ends up being, Darnold will have earned it.

That said, it will probably be more than what I want the Vikings to pay considering the draft capital we spent on JJM and the other holes we need to fill.

My take is a reverse rub, though. What good is "filling the other holes" if JJM isn't ready and we have a below average QB in a league where team success is so dependent on it?
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Honestly, the more I think about it, the Vikings almost have to make a strong move to keep Darnold next year, don't they? Hear me out...

With Darnold gone, they go into next year with JJM and something like Nick Mullens (or worse!) at backup QB? That is not a great plan, particularly with how this front office has built this team to really compete in 2025 and 2026, more so than 2024.

And who is paying Darnold big money, on a long term deal, to be their "franchise QB"?

My guess is, the Vikings either franchise tag Darnold (roughly $42M?) or transition tag him (roughly $35.8M?), and if someone offers some decent return, MAYBE they could trade him. They could also give him a 2-yr deal that makes it worth it for him to stay.

None of this means anything until we see what he does in the next 3 months though. It could all be a Moo point (atta boy, Joey!) if he shits the bed or the other end of the spectrum where he makes himself not affordable for the Vikings.
 



Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
Honestly, the more I think about it, the Vikings almost have to make a strong move to keep Darnold next year, don't they? Hear me out...

With Darnold gone, they go into next year with JJM and something like Nick Mullens (or worse!) at backup QB? That is not a great plan, particularly with how this front office has built this team to really compete in 2025 and 2026, more so than 2024.

And who is paying Darnold big money, on a long term deal, to be their "franchise QB"?

My guess is, the Vikings either franchise tag Darnold (roughly $42M?) or transition tag him (roughly $35.8M?), and if someone offers some decent return, MAYBE they could trade him. They could also give him a 2-yr deal that makes it worth it for him to stay.

None of this means anything until we see what he does in the next 3 months though. It could all be a Moo point (atta boy, Joey!) if he shits the bed or the other end of the spectrum where he makes himself not affordable for the Vikings.
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I think the move would be to identify the next "Sam Darnold" or "Geno Smith" and coach him up.
 



Ope3 said:
I'm going to wait for more than 1 game (especially against an offense that was red hot coming into the Zygi Dome) to draw any conclusions on the state of the Vikings Defense.
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You saw this against the packers in the second half. Damn near 300 yards passing. Luckily, Love took a half to get back in the flow.

Any passing offense is going to rip us a new one on defense.
 







Tampa Bay getting taken to the woodshed.

Two 4-3 teams leading their division in the NFC and Washington at 6-2 leading the east.

I still say the top 4 teams in the NFC are all in the north.
 

Breakin' The Plane said:
My best guess is that TD was scored on a 16-yard pass from Steve Grogan to Cedric Jones. Tony Franklin's PAT was good.
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howeda7 said:
Irving Fryer.
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Russ Francis is what popped into my head, but looking at Wiki he was with the 49ers when the Colts moved from Baltimore.

He returned to the Pats the for his last 2 NFL seasons, but didn't catch a TD.
 




Ope3 said:
Presumably the "next Sam Darnold" would be cheaper than the current Sam Darnold in 2025.
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I'd rather have the sure thing though. Attempting to find the next Darnold or Smith fails a lot more often than succeeds.

Part of it probably depends on where they think JJM is at. Certainly his injury has made it much harder to know. But I think they are set up to potentially win big next year. 5th most cap space and not a lot of players becoming free agents. And of the guys that are, they're pretty cheap to resign if they want. So I say take the more sure thing.

www.spotrac.com

2025 NFL Free Agents

Tracking the status and signings of all NFL free agents.
www.spotrac.com www.spotrac.com
 

GophersInIowa said:
I'd rather have the sure thing though. Attempting to find the next Darnold or Smith fails a lot more often than succeeds.

Part of it probably depends on where they think JJM is at. Certainly his injury has made it much harder to know. But I think they are set up to potentially win big next year. 5th most cap space and not a lot of players becoming free agents. And of the guys that are, they're pretty cheap to resign if they want. So I say take the more sure thing.

www.spotrac.com

2025 NFL Free Agents

Tracking the status and signings of all NFL free agents.
www.spotrac.com www.spotrac.com
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We don't know even if Darnold is a sure thing.

If he performs well and is not cost prohibitive, then fine, bring him back. If he gets to the point where they would have to pay him something closer to Cousins contract, then they would have been negating the whole purpose of cutting him loose.

If the next Darnold fails then that's on Kwesi and KOC for not identifying the right guy and coaching him up.

It's not "probably depends on where they think JJM is at", it's virtually "entirely" depends on JJM's health and development.
 

Too bad Danny Dimes isn't available next year.


Draft Max Brosmer in the 5th round and run with JJ.
😎
 

Ope3 said:
We don't know even if Darnold is a sure thing.

If he performs well and is not cost prohibitive, then fine, bring him back. If he gets to the point where they would have to pay him something closer to Cousins contract, then they would have been negating the whole purpose of cutting him loose.

If the next Darnold fails then that's on Kwesi and KOC for not identifying the right guy and coaching him up.

It's not "probably depends on where they think JJM is at", it's virtually "entirely" depends on JJM's health and development.
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Yeah for sure, not touching a Cousins type contract with him. I don't think he gets close to that though.
 

GophersInIowa said:
Yeah for sure, not touching a Cousins type contract with him. I don't think he gets close to that though.
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Even matching what Cousins was getting while he was still in Minnesota, seems too much IMO.
 
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Ope3 said:
Even matching what Cousins was getting while he was still in Minnesota, seems to much IMO.
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Cousins made between $28-$35M a year in his time with the Vikings. If Darnold is making something in that neighborhood next year it will put him around the 20th highest paid QB in the league. I don't think that's terrible.
 

There's rumors about the Vikings trading for Stafford. I find it hard to believe. He's not that much better than Darnold at this point and it's a huge question if he can stay healthy. Certainly it can't happen until after this week's game.
 

GophersInIowa said:
I'd rather have the sure thing though. Attempting to find the next Darnold or Smith fails a lot more often than succeeds.

Part of it probably depends on where they think JJM is at. Certainly his injury has made it much harder to know. But I think they are set up to potentially win big next year. 5th most cap space and not a lot of players becoming free agents. And of the guys that are, they're pretty cheap to resign if they want. So I say take the more sure thing.

www.spotrac.com

2025 NFL Free Agents

Tracking the status and signings of all NFL free agents.
www.spotrac.com www.spotrac.com
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Not having JJM healthy this year and learning the offense, bonding with the WRs and getting reps against a defense in practice really complicate this situation and the decision that needs to be made.

Based on Sam's play thus far, getting a contract worth 3/$105 is certainly possible.
 

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