KOC: "JJM wearing us out", got work with 1st team offense

[hogjowlsjohnny]

Darnold has a one year contract. He will probably be playing elsewhere next year no matter what happens.

[Montana Tom]

Wow...so many hypotheticals...this is almost like doing a mock draft!!

There is nothing wrong with JJM sitting for a full year or more than a full year. If he sits for more than a full year, it means that Darnold has fulfilled his promise as a #3 overall pick, and he's certainly got better toys to play with on this team than on his three previous situations. If JJM sits for more than a year, Darnold is going to get paid...by someone. It almost makes sense for the Vikings to sign him to a multi-year deal and then trade him at some point.

As much as I hate the Packers, I must admit they played it right twice. First with letting A-Aron sit for three years behind Favre and then with letting Love sit for three years behind A-Aron. And looking at the Falcon's strategy with Penix Jr, I would say that is their strategy for the next few years as well...and then they have a ready-to-go succession plan that is also a backup plan if Cousin's does not recover from his Achilles.

Darnold has all the motivation in the world to make this year a success. He's gotten a renewed lease on life and if he does well, he's set for a big payday from someone. And that's just fine. We win either way, IMHO.

I think I'm just going to sit on the sidelines with my popcorn and watch each game play out. I can't bear doing another theoretical mock draft or anything that resembles it.

[MAD GAINZ]

I don't want to get into odds and percentages of Sam Darnold being an All Pro in 2024. I think we can all agree it's not very likely. But what if he does? Forget All Pro. What if he just has a really really good year? Like Gannon when he went to Oakland. It's certainly a possibility. One nobody seems willing to entertain long enough to answer the question. What would they do? 

But I don't know the answer to that either. I think it probably depends a lot on what they think of JJM's development at the time. What if he just isn't getting it? Another possibility that no one seems willing to entertain. 

I know one thing for certain: it would be a big feather in the cap the "situation-over-talent" arguers, and likely force teams to re-evaluate how they draft and develop QBs.

We should do what we should have done back in the late 90's and go with our QBotF in Brad Johnson (JJM) instead of re-signing the reclamation project in Randall Cunningham (Darnold) that happened to have a really good year surrounded by a ton of weapons and improving defense.

There, I answered it.  :-)

[MaroonBells]

There is nothing wrong with JJM sitting for a full year or more than a full year.  If he sits for more than a full year, it means that Darnold has fulfilled his promise as a #3 overall pick, and he's certainly got better toys to play with on this team than on his three previous situations.  If JJM sits for more than a year, Darnold is going to get paid...by someone.  It almost makes sense for the Vikings to sign him to a multi-year deal and then trade him at some point.

As much as I hate the Packers, I must admit they played it right twice.  First with letting A-Aron sit for three years behind Favre and then with letting Love sit for three years behind A-Aron.  And looking at the Falcon's strategy with Penix Jr, I would say that is their strategy for the next few years as well...and then they have a ready-to-go succession plan that is also a backup plan if Cousin's does not recover from his Achilles.

I agree with this. I think you try to extend him. Vikings would probably try to keep it to two years and hope he goes for it. He might, considering the odds of him failing in another offense would be high, given his history. It gives JJ two more years in the oven, which probably sounds nuts to people. But as you point out, Love sat for three seasons, as did Rodgers. And if McCarthy proves just too good to keep on the bench, you could always trade Darnold before his final season for some serious draft capital. 

The upside is that you'd get more than enough time to figure out exactly what you have in McCarthy. The downside, of course, is you put a big squeeze on that QB-on-a-rookie-deal cap fantasy.

[Havoc]

In my opinion, you earn the starting spot in this instance. There isn’t a returning solid starter. If JJM is better coming out of camp, he should start. This kid isn’t going to get broken. He simply isn’t wired that way. Plus, there’s a well rounded offense with key skill players that can really help him along.

Darnold is a guy it’s easy for me to root for, but his history is inaccuracy and that’s a tough attribute to deal with in the NFL. Unless Darnold balls out, I expect JJM to win the job and never look back. Not every guy needs a year. Most do, but not all.

[MaroonBells]

We should do what we should have done back in the late 90's and go with our QBotF in Brad Johnson (JJM) instead of re-signing the reclamation project in Randall Cunningham (Darnold) that happened to have a really good year surrounded by a ton of weapons and improving defense.

There, I answered it.  :-)

Not quite the same. I agree it was a mistake to keep Cunningham over Johnson. And I was very vocal about that at the time. But unlike JJM, Johnson was already a proven QB, who I believe would've done pretty much the same thing as Randall did in '98 if he had stayed healthy. What's more, Cunningham was 36 years old. Darnold just turned 27 on Wednesday. 

No idea what Denny was thinking on that one. But I do know that my stance on playing BJ over RC was extremely unpopular. Viking fans and media had googly eyes over Randall in '98.

[Montana Tom]

I agree with this. I think you try to extend him. Vikings would probably try to keep it to two years and hope he goes for it. He might, considering the odds of him failing in another offense would be high, given his history. It gives JJ two more years in the oven, which probably sounds nuts to people. But as you point out, Love sat for three seasons, as did Rodgers. And if McCarthy proves just too good to keep on the bench, you could always trade Darnold before his final season for some serious draft capital. 

The upside is that you'd get more than enough time to figure out exactly what you have in McCarthy. The downside, of course, is you put a big squeeze on that QB-on-a-rookie-deal cap fantasy.

Bingo, bingo, bingo. 
Checks all the boxes MB.

[purplefaithful]

RC caught lightning in a bottle and I still remember to this day watching him pass Randy Moss his first TD vs T.Bay.

EDIT: Watching Brad Johnson toss Randy Moss his first TD vs TB.

I am not sure Brad would have had the same impact over that magical season. We'll never know. RC let me down in the NFCCG too. I was in the sign him again in 99.

It'll be fun to watch the story of Darnold play out in 24. So many directions this could go!

[StickierBuns]

RC caught lightning in a bottle and I still remember to this day watching him pass Randy Moss his first TD vs T.Bay.

I am not sure Brad would have had the same impact over that magical season. We'll never know. RC let me down in the NFCCG too. I was in the sign him again in 99.

It'll be fun to watch the story of Darnold play out in 24. So many directions this could go!

It was a tough spot for Green. Letting Cunningham go would have caused riots in the Twin Cities streets with the season they had in '98. Randal's arm brought 100% fear to defenses because it maximized Moss's deep abilities and hence the offense was completely wide open. No way Johnson would have had the year that Cunningham did.

[purplefaithful]

It was a tough spot for Green. Letting Cunningham go would have caused riots in the Twin Cities streets with the season they had in '98. Randal's arm brought 100% fear to defenses because it maximized Moss's deep abilities and hence the offense was completely wide open. No way Johnson would have had the year that Cunningham did.

I edited my post; I meant to reference Brad Johnson in that home opener vs Bucs in 98 not the preacher. 

Randall was never the same after that NFCCG - Vikings never should have re-signed him.  Easy to say now in 2024