So....how's everyone feeling?

[Zanary]

I'm hopeful, but I'm also aware that we're really about to see the NEW culture of the Minnesota Vikings. Kirko was a big deal in the locker room, and Flores not being gone after one season allows him to actually put a meaningful stamp on the defense...albeit with limited draft capital.

Last season, it took the team a few weeks to get their feet under them. Granted, starting the season with both Superbowl teams in the early going and Baker figuring out our defensive calls was a rough beginning...but this season, our start will depend on which QB steps into the starting role, and which players really are leading in the huddles.

Harry, JJ...but who else?

It'll be interesting, and hopefully excellent...but I want to see the OTA/camp and preseason footage more than usual.

[StickierBuns]

I'm going to be patient in 2024. Its going to be a transition year, all set up and planned for 2025 to be the launch point.

[medaille]

I like what we’ve done this year. I agree that this is a transition year. It would be pretty unlikely for Darnold or a rookie QB to take us all the way, so to me, it looks like our front office has avoided going all in this year, and instead kind of built our team for the long haul with moderate cost assets which is the right move. We’ll start to push the chips in when McCarthy or Darnold shows that they are ready for us to do that. I like McCarthy. He looks like the QB that should be running this offense. So much of his tape looks like the good bits of what we’ve seen from Kirk, but with a little more mobility. Every team is going to have weak spots, but I think our weak spots are becoming pretty minimal and our strong spots look very strong.

[Havoc]

It would be hard for me to be happier with this draft. I considered Dallas Turner a top 5 player in this draft. Not just defender, player. The fact they got a guy who would have been top 5, maybe even top 3 in a normal draft is incredible. I expect Tuner to develop into a superstar.

Personally, I don’t think Drake Maye was as high on the Vikings board as some here or in the media think. If he was, they’d have gotten him. I think what’s more likely is they graded these guys out and had 4 they would be good with. Caleb likely wasn’t in the math and I doubt Penix was very high on their board for a variety of reasons. I doubt Penix was as high as the others on a lot of boards. There’s a reason he felt compelled to write a letter or have one written for him and put it out. His agent would have known how important it was.

I suspect the Vikings took a realistic look at the board and focused on their most likely options. In my opinion, Kwesi’s number one was JJM and I think he was more than ready to go up and get him. Getting to the week before the draft, JJ’s market seemed to cool a little bit. The Vikings seemed to cool a little on moving up as well at the same time. It’s just trying to read the tealeaves obviously, but it appeared to me he had been Kwesi’s goal. Although I think JJ was probably a top 3 with KOC, he had a favorite they didn’t choose and again, I don’t think it was Maye. That happens when it isn’t only the coaches call. In my opinion, KOC was probably looking for a starter this year who was already advanced in what would be expected of him in KOC’s offense.

What I do know is other teams believed the Vikings wanted JJM. As for Penix, he was the Raiders expected pick until he came off the board. They along with most others figured him for the last one of the top guys available. Why did the Falcons do what they did? I have absolutely no idea. Seriously, what a strange decision. Penix could become a good player, but he definitely wasn’t the best QB available at the time. I hope they are prepared for the plethora of batted balls coming their way. His throwing motion and in turn release point, probably aren’t changeable so they are just going to have to deal with it.

At the end of the day, JJM is a top QB prospect and would be in any other draft. He has elite arm talent to go with true dual threat capability. He’s smart with the football and can extend plays with his athleticism. His arm strength is upper echelon in the league and that kind of talent is pretty damn exciting for me.

Lastly, when it comes to draft picks, they hold much less value to me than they do to most others. They are valuable in that they are currency to get the players I want, much more so than having a pick to make a pick. I’m of the philosophy that you identify the dozen or so guys you expect to be long term starters and you use the picks to get to them. If they’re further down the board, like expected to be taken in the 5th, I take them in the 4th.

Otherwise, I fill through free agency. I especially like veteran players who’ve been good in the past and are looking to do one year deals. In my opinion, that’s what I fill starter holes with if I can.

I absolutely love Kwesi’s method this year. It’s exactly the same approach I would have taken. I would have taken a different QB, one able to start right away, but that’s just me favoring tangible experience over projection. I definitely don’t have a problem he went with JJM.

[supafreak84]

I think Drake Maye was absolutely the guy they wanted, but no matter the offer, New England wasn't moving off that pick. After that I'm guessing they had similar grades on Penix and McCarthy so they didn't feel the need to move up until Atlanta pulled the shocker. I think while they were disappointed they couldn't move up for Maye, McCarthy was a good plan B for them and gives them a true lump of clay for KOC to mold. Orlovsky just said on Get Up this morning that he expects McCarthy to be starting by October and be in the running for rookie of the year

[purplefaithful]

I think Maye was the guy they wanted too...

Just like with Richardson, we may never know the true story on what NE turned down and what we offered.

I did sense some disappointment on draft day they didnt land him. All that said, I do think they're genuinely happy with JJ

Media is going to be pimping for him to start, I think he's #3 on the depth chart come September - and I am down with that.

[medaille]

I think Maye was the guy they wanted too...

Just like with Richardson, we may never know the true story on what NE turned down and what we offered.

I did sense some disappointment on draft day they didnt land him. All that said, I do think they're genuinely happy with JJ

Media is going to be pimping for him to start, I think he's #3 on the depth chart come September - and I am down with that.

I'm hoping that Darnold is good enough to keep the jackals at bay and let JJM develop and start at his own pace, so that we don't feel compelled to start him before he's ready.

[Tyr]

The Vikings were in a position where they needed to take big swings and they did. McCarthy was my realistic QB of choice & I would have been fine trading 23 plus some future picks to move up for him, so to get him and keep 23 was huge. I can't fault him for playing on a really good team and understanding his role. He's got the arm to stretch the field, the mobility to keep defenses honest, knows how to take care of the ball, is great with play action, and can play in a pro style offense. I also really like that even before the draft he made it clear that he wanted to play for the Vikings and he's already tight with O'Connell. While no rookie QB is a sure thing, I do feel confident that he's in the best possible situation to succeed and it's up to him to make the most of it.

Turner was not someone that I thought we had a chance of at all, but he's a perfect edge for Flores's defense and getting him takes a lot of the sting out of losing Hunter. My hope is that with McCarthy and Turner that we have players who could potentially anchor both sides of the ball for years to come. I will say that they gave up a lot of picks in the two trades it took to get Turner, but I do like that they made a bold move to get him. That's not something I'm used to seeing from the Vikings and while there is risk in losing depth with those mid round picks, that is offset by the Vikings finally getting out of cap Hell next year, so they'll have the money to add impact players and still have their 1st rounder.

As for the rest of the draft, I like they added size at corner, brought in a swing tackle, and brought in a kicker with ice in his veins. What I didn't like is that DT/IDL was not addressed again, the interior OL still needs attention, and as much as I bemoan all of the picks spent on corners, they did have two really good corners that could have slid to them at 23.

[ArizonaViking]

How do I feel...? It's Monday morning and I'm at work...again.

[Vanguard83]

I'd feel better if Matt Millen was still in Detroits War Room