All Things 2025 Minnesota Vikings Off-Season Thread

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GopherGrit said:
You thinking he's gone to another franchise for a 3+ year nine figure deal?

If so, godspeed, he earned it and gave us a wild ride that no one predicted! Just a damn shame how it ended
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I’m thinking, he’ll get 3 for $90M; comps I heard before was Geno/Baker’s zip code.

I’m happy for him, as he seems like a good dude and teammate. I wish we could have won at least one playoff game, but I have a tough year, and he helped me get through it - he’s in my ring of honor!!
 

GopherGrit said:
You thinking he's gone to another franchise for a 3+ year nine figure deal?

If so, godspeed, he earned it and gave us a wild ride that no one predicted! Just a damn shame how it ended
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Just Gopher It!! said:
I’m thinking, he’ll get 3 for $90M; comps I heard before was Geno/Baker’s zip code.

I’m happy for him, as he seems like a good dude and teammate. I wish we could have won at least one playoff game, but I have a tough year, and he helped me get through it - he’s in my ring of honor!!
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Just logically, I don't think there is a number that makes sense mutually for the Vikings to offer and for Darnold to accept.
 

Alec Lewis at The Athletic had a great blurb recently after making the rounds at the combine in Indy about Dallas Turner:

"One NFC evaluator, whose team considered drafting edge rusher Dallas Turner last year, laughed when asked about having any concerns following Turner’s quiet rookie season. “None at all,” they said. “Think of him like Nolan Smith.”

The comparison arose in other conversations about Turner as well. Both Smith and Turner possess elite athletic traits. They were drafted young. They came from high-end programs in the Southeastern Conference, and neither had any character-related concerns. It’s fascinating to assess their rookie seasons side by side.

Rookie season comparison
Dallas Turner
Nolan Smith
Draft age2122
Size6'2", 2476'2", 238
RAS score9.499.23
Rookie snaps300188
Pass-rush win rate6.3%5.6%
Pressure rate8.8%9.4%
Sacks3.01.0

Smith tallied 11 sacks in his second season. Four of them came during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. The NFC evaluator believes Turner’s sophomore season could be similar. Even if he’s finding his footing early in the 2025 season, a breakout could come down the stretch. One team source expects Turner to arrive in exceptional condition for spring and summer workouts, hungry to prove he can contribute beyond his 300 snaps in 2024.
 


bga1 said:
Deebo has lost a couple steps...
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Good point, but it’s another weapon for McDaniels and they need a better O to beat them Eagles. He gives them a playmaker they don’t have currently with his versatility.

Deebo turns 30 this year, in his walk year. He’s got one contract left and I’m betting we see the version closer to when he was arguably the best offensive player in the NFC, than the version from the last couple of seasons. With a roll of the 🎲

@Ogee Ogilthorpe was right about Quinn being a great hire for them and it’s hilarious the turnaround happened right after Snyder left🤣
 

Ope3 said:
Just logically, I don't think there is a number that makes sense mutually for the Vikings to offer and for Darnold to accept.
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Well like I said, just if it was a thing where Darnold really wanted to come back and did not care about making top dollar. $20M to stay vs $30M to go elsewhere.

That seems like a thing that is an easy concept for us to talk about at the water cooler, especially in Darnold's case where he has been down that dead end road multiple times, but which never seems to happen (at least in high profile cases).

Not sure if agents have too much clout with players or what, like demanding somehow that they have take the top dollar deal so they (agent) get the highest cut. Seems like a thing (taking a lower deal for a better situation) that should happen more often.
 

Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
Alec Lewis at The Athletic had a great blurb recently after making the rounds at the combine in Indy about Dallas Turner:

"One NFC evaluator, whose team considered drafting edge rusher Dallas Turner last year, laughed when asked about having any concerns following Turner’s quiet rookie season. “None at all,” they said. “Think of him like Nolan Smith.”

The comparison arose in other conversations about Turner as well. Both Smith and Turner possess elite athletic traits. They were drafted young. They came from high-end programs in the Southeastern Conference, and neither had any character-related concerns. It’s fascinating to assess their rookie seasons side by side.

Rookie season comparison
Dallas Turner
Nolan Smith
Draft age2122
Size6'2", 2476'2", 238
RAS score9.499.23
Rookie snaps300188
Pass-rush win rate6.3%5.6%
Pressure rate8.8%9.4%
Sacks3.01.0

Smith tallied 11 sacks in his second season. Four of them came during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run. The NFC evaluator believes Turner’s sophomore season could be similar. Even if he’s finding his footing early in the 2025 season, a breakout could come down the stretch. One team source expects Turner to arrive in exceptional condition for spring and summer workouts, hungry to prove he can contribute beyond his 300 snaps in 2024.
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Would be great to see Verse's numbers in that table as well.
 

GopherGrit said:
Well like I said, just if it was a thing where Darnold really wanted to come back and did not care about making top dollar. $20M to stay vs $30M to go elsewhere.

That seems like a thing that is an easy concept for us to talk about at the water cooler, especially in Darnold's case where he has been down that dead end road multiple times, but which never seems to happen (at least in high profile cases).

Not sure if agents have too much clout with players or what, like demanding somehow that they have take the top dollar deal so they (agent) get the highest cut. Seems like a thing (taking a lower deal for a better situation) that should happen more often.
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Even in your scenario, $20M vs $30M that's a really significant difference and would be really tough for Darnold to accept to stay no matter how much he likes the situation with KOC/Vikings.

I think the teams needing a QB beyond a 1 year stop gap (with few perceived solid options via the Draft) will offer him much more guaranteed dough than that though. It seems like somebody would be out there willing to go 2-3 years and guarantee well in excess of $50M.

If a team like that also has a reasonable shot at making the playoffs, I just can't wrap my head around Darnold taking that deep of a discount to stay with the Vikings.

If the Vikings do go with Jones, he does at least have a track record of leading a team to the Playoffs. Heck, he has more Playoff wins at the Zygi Dome than Darnold.
 





Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
Wow. Bears making some serious moves to fortify their OL; maybe not rock stars, but better than what they had.

Chiefs Trade OL Joe Thuney To Bears For 6th Rounder

Rams Trade OL Jonah Jackson To Bears For 6th Rounder
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Both are good players and all three (3) of CHI's starting IOL are free agents. Solid moves.

DK Metcalf has asked for a trade and joins Davante Adams as available WRs. Metcalf is overrated IMO but he'd be a nice fit with Bowers and Jakobi Meyers in Vegas. All you would need is a slightly used Sam Darnold.
 

Ope3 said:
Even in your scenario, $20M vs $30M that's a really significant difference and would be really tough for Darnold to accept to stay no matter how much he likes the situation with KOC/Vikings.

I think the teams needing a QB beyond a 1 year stop gap (with few perceived solid options via the Draft) will offer him much more guaranteed dough than that though. It seems like somebody would be out there willing to go 2-3 years and guarantee well in excess of $50M.

If a team like that also has a reasonable shot at making the playoffs, I just can't wrap my head around Darnold taking that deep of a discount to stay with the Vikings.

If the Vikings do go with Jones, he does at least have a track record of leading a team to the Playoffs. Heck, he has more Playoff wins at the Zygi Dome than Darnold.
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It would be foolish to come back to MN unless no one else is offering him multiple years. If he comes back he will be benched for McCarthy by week 6 at the latest. He would have been benched after the Jacksonville game this year if McCarthy had been healthy.
 



Slim Tubby said:
Both are good players and all three (3) of CHI's starting IOL are free agents. Solid moves.

DK Metcalf has asked for a trade and joins Davante Adams as available WRs. Metcalf is overrated IMO but he'd be a nice fit with Bowers and Jakobi Meyers in Vegas. All you would need is a slightly used Sam Darnold.
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I just told a Raiders buddy of mine a couple hours ago; What do you think about Darnold, Ashton Jeanty at RB (#6 overall draft pick), and DK Metcalf? I could live with that from a Raiders standpoint, it would address 3 major needs without really breaking the bank, assuming you aren't giving up a huge amount for Metcalf

I say this despite the fact that I am not 100% sure of Darnold's viability as a top-tier franchise QB, I don't like drafting a RB in the 1st round, much less at #6, and I think Metcalf is largely a head case. Jeanty sure does seem to be a playmaker though.

The Raiders need a #1 QB, a #1 RB, and a #1 WR; not many NFL teams actually need all 3 of those.
 

howeda7 said:
It would be foolish to come back to MN unless no one else is offering him multiple years. If he comes back he will be benched for McCarthy by week 6 at the latest. He would have been benched after the Jacksonville game this year if McCarthy had been healthy.
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Probably all it would take is back to back losses, and sure the temptation (and clamor from the fanbase) would be immense to pull Darnold for JJM.
 

DK Metcalf has a cap hit of $32MM in 2025, and then is a UFA in 2026. I suppose the logic is you trade for him, then restructure his contract with an extension. But how much money is he going to expect in a new deal? He's a good player, but my impression of him is a bit of a malcontent (which I suppose most WR's are) and grossly overrated compared to his actual production.

Him and AJ Brown are very eerie in their similarities. They play with a very similar style, both the same age, and were Ole Miss products drafted in the second round of the same draft, 13 picks apart. Brown has 7,000yds and 49td's in his career and Metcalf has 6,300yds and 48td's.
 
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Ogee Ogilthorpe said:
I just told a Raiders buddy of mine a couple hours ago; What do you think about Darnold, Ashton Jeanty at RB (#6 overall draft pick), and DK Metcalf? I could live with that from a Raiders standpoint, it would address 3 major needs without really breaking the bank, assuming you aren't giving up a huge amount for Metcalf

I say this despite the fact that I am not 100% sure of Darnold's viability as a top-tier franchise QB, I don't like drafting a RB in the 1st round, much less at #6, and I think Metcalf is largely a head case. Jeanty sure does seem to be a playmaker though.

The Raiders need a #1 QB, a #1 RB, and a #1 WR; not many NFL teams actually need all 3 of those.
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Meyers is not an elite #1 but he's underrated IMO and a heck of WR considering he's had poor QB play.

It's way early in the process but Kiper had LV taking Jeanty at #6 in his last Mock Draft, too.
 

Ope3 said:
Probably all it would take is back to back losses, and sure the temptation (and clamor from the fanbase) would be immense to pull Darnold for JJM.
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If he comes out week 1 and plays like he did the last two games, it won't take until halftime for the fans to be calling for it.
 

I think the Vikings should jump in and trade Jordan Addison, especially if he can get a 1st or high 2nd. They won't keep him long-term and I sort of doubt we've seen the last off-field issue with him.
 

Assuming we could get a 2025 FRP around #10-12 by trading JJM, would you rather have:

1. JJM on his Rookie deal and coming off an injury

2. Darnold on new 3/$105M deal and Pick #10
 

Slim Tubby said:
Assuming we could get a 2025 FRP around #10-12 by trading JJM, would you rather have:

1. JJM on his Rookie deal and coming off an injury

2. Darnold on new 3/$105M deal and Pick #10
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McCarthy is the future and will start on week 1. They're not trading him. It's silly to even mention it.

Last year was Darnold's peak. They were never keeping him and the Vikings won't attempt to re-sign him. Darnold is lucky JJM wasn't healthy otherwise he might have been replaced when he went through his midseason slump. Sam should send JJM something nice when he signs his next deal.
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
McCarthy is the future and will start on week 1. They're not trading him. It's silly to even mention it.

Last year was Darnold's peak. They were never keeping him and the Vikings won't attempt to re-sign him. Darnold is lucky JJM wasn't healthy otherwise he might have been replaced when he went through his midseason slump. Sam should send JJM something nice when he signs his next deal.
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I'm not trying be silly...just generating opinions.
 

Ope3 said:
Probably all it would take is back to back losses, and sure the temptation (and clamor from the fanbase) would be immense to pull Darnold for JJM.
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I don't think coaching staffs are as reactionary as certain message board posters :D
 

Slim Tubby said:
Assuming we could get a 2025 FRP around #10-12 by trading JJM, would you rather have:

1. JJM on his Rookie deal and coming off an injury

2. Darnold on new 3/$105M deal and Pick #10
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Do we get to know how well McCarthy is going to bounce back from injury? :ROFLMAO:
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
McCarthy is the future and will start on week 1. They're not trading him. It's silly to even mention it.

Last year was Darnold's peak. They were never keeping him and the Vikings won't attempt to re-sign him. Darnold is lucky JJM wasn't healthy otherwise he might have been replaced when he went through his midseason slump. Sam should send JJM something nice when he signs his next deal.
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I will say that McCarthy won't start this season until week 6-10, unless we don't retain either of Darnold or DJones and don't get someone else of that caliber.


Otherwise, what leadership is essentially trying to tell the fanbase is something like "look, we're willing to lose the first 6-10 games in order to give McCarthy on the job training before he's truly ready to be the starter".

I don't think that's how the Wilfs do things.
 

GopherGrit said:
I don't think coaching staffs are as reactionary as certain message board posters :D
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I agree and I would hope that such clamor from the fanbase would be completely ignored.

GopherGrit said:
I will say that McCarthy won't start this season until week 6-10, unless we don't retain either of Darnold or DJones and don't get someone else of that caliber.


Otherwise, what leadership is essentially trying to tell the fanbase is something like "look, we're willing to lose the first 6-10 games in order to give McCarthy on the job training before he's truly ready to be the starter".

I don't think that's how the Wilfs do things.
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That's too simplistic of a view point. Maybe by that point if healthy with full offseason prep and training camp, they may believe he's "truly ready". He'll have been in the building for 18 months at that point, that's a lot of prep time and I trust they will have a gage on his abilities.

Why can't it be like Daunte Culpepper? On the bench for all of Year 1. Took the Vikes to the NFC Championship his 1st year playing. Denver and Washington had true rookies last year. It worked out, leading both to the post-season.

As for "how the Wilfs do things" I think they have demonstrated that they let the football staff make whatever is the best decision on what to do without any interference. If they don't then they hired the wrong people to begin with.
 

GopherGrit said:
I will say that McCarthy won't start this season until week 6-10, unless we don't retain either of Darnold or DJones and don't get someone else of that caliber.


Otherwise, what leadership is essentially trying to tell the fanbase is something like "look, we're willing to lose the first 6-10 games in order to give McCarthy on the job training before he's truly ready to be the starter".

I don't think that's how the Wilfs do things.
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That doesn’t make any sense when rookies start and have success in the NFL with less time with the team than JJM has had.
 



For crying out loud will the Vikings walk away from Sam Donald please. Start JJ McCarthy.

 

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