An early look, potential free agent steals...

[purplefaithful]

Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings

1 of 6

I just, he didn't...there was never, the Jets...seeing ghosts. Him?!

What a fun story Sam Darnold could be. When the Minnesota Vikings signed him to a one-year contract, he was simply a $10 million insurance policy for a yet-to-be-selected quarterback in the 2024 NFL draft.

If the Vikings truly viewed Darnold as the long-term answer, it wouldn't have been a one-year deal. No, they trusted him enough to hold a stop-gap role if a rookie could not replace Kirk Cousins this year—and JJ McCarthy ended up with a season-ending knee injury in fall camp.

So far, Darnold has shattered our expectations.

He threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 1 win against the New York Giants. But then, Darnold put up 268 yards and two more scores with 32 rushing yards in an upset of the San Francisco 49ers.

It's early, of course, but Darnold is yet another reminder of what a stable situation can do for a player.

======================================
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Gesicki, TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Zack Baun, LB, Philadelphia Eagles
Kristian Fulton, CB, Los Angeles Chargers
DeShon Elliott, S, Pittsburgh Steelers

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1013...ce=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial

---

I think a couple of our own lb's can legitimately be in the early discussion too: Cashman and Van Ginkel.

Hell, Gilmore is playing well early on.

[Montana Tom]

This was supposed to be the "blah" year prior to spending big in FA next offseason.
Darnold was a non-successful plug-in, a placeholder.
But if you looked around, you saw big money departures in FA, notably Cousins and Hunter.
But then Cashman, Greenard, Van Ginkel, Jones, Griffin, Gilmore...they didn't appear to be throwing in the towel.

And backups who suddenly got promoted, some barely made the team but have shines...Brandel, Jihad Ward, Pat Jones !!

I don't want to get too optimistic. Talk to me AFTER the Texans game and I'll confirm or deny my optimism/pessimism at that point.

[MaroonBells]

This was supposed to be the "blah" year prior to spending big in FA next offseason.
Darnold was a non-successful plug-in, a placeholder.
But if you looked around, you saw big money departures in FA, notably Cousins and Hunter.
But then Cashman, Greenard, Van Ginkel, Jones, Griffin, Gilmore...they didn't appear to be throwing in the towel.

And backups who suddenly got promoted, some barely made the team but have shines...Brandel, Jihad Ward, Pat Jones !!

I don't want to get too optimistic.  Talk to me AFTER the Texans game and I'll confirm or deny my optimism/pessimism at that point.

Vikings seemed to get real lucky this offseason. I don't mean that as a criticism of KAM, just that they shedded big salary and hand-picked several Flo-bots and got all of them except for Wilkins. Then in the draft they were able to get everyone they targeted. 

We may eventually look back at the '24 offseason as a watershed moment for the Vikings.

[purplefaithful]

Vikings seemed to get real lucky this offseason. I don't mean that as a criticism of KAM, just that they shedded big salary and hand-picked several Flo-bots and got all of them except for Wilkins. Then in the draft they were able to get everyone they targeted. 

We may eventually look back at the '24 offseason as a watershed moment for the Vikings.

I thought that way right after the draft. 

I dont think it'll be because of the FA's, but I guess you never know. Some of those guys could be cornerstone for a # of years. Not Gilmore cause he's too old but Greenard/Van Ginkel/Cashman...

Turning the page on the KC years is a big deal too; player wise , cap wise and the symbolism of it all.