Well.....better to find out definitively now....

[StickierBuns]

Kevin Seifert
@SeifertESPN
·
10h
Vikings should have the No. 24 overall pick of the 2025 draft.

[Bullazin]

There will be revisionist history from people who "never bought in" but Sam had a great season overall, up until the end.

I'm shocked and did not see his collapse coming. Even after the Detroit showing I thought he'd bounce back last night.

The only way I think I'd be comfortable moving off someone who played so well for so long would be a bed-messing of massive proportions... And that's what Sam did.

Absolutely unbelievable. I got duped. I got swindled. I thought Charlie Brown was going to finally kick the football this time.

NOPE!

Sad man. Not sure I've ever seen a meltdown like it. I mean, did Sam even attempt a run last night? Or last week? Normally when guys get skittish they take off and run. Or get rid of the ball quicker. Not our Sam! Hold that ball and take that sack baby!

W. T. F!

Sammy is a really good QB now.  I wouldn’t bitch if they bring him back, 35/12 is not luck and this has been our best season in a long time.  I just would worry that we would not be able to give him a surround that we can challenge for a title while paying him market money and at this point I want titles. Bring on JJM and fix the lines.

[hogjowlsjohnny]

I think that is the bus that most of us were in. I always wanted McCarthy to get his shot, but I thought at one point after the Seattle win that it might be inevitable that he would be franchised for a year. But Minnesota never spoke like that was their plan, maybe they never wavered in letting Sam walk. Its obvious now.

I actually thought they were going to start JJM on day one!
I believe they will stick to their plan and build a team around McCarthy.
That includes replacing a number of defensive players who couldn't cover crap last night.

[supafreak84]

Kevin Seifert
@SeifertESPN
·
10h
Vikings should have the No. 24 overall pick of the 2025 draft.

Lots of good corners and defensive lineman should be available in that area. Fortunate for us this is a deeper draft class than normal at those positions

[StickierBuns]

Lots of good corners and defensive lineman should be available in that area. Fortunate for us this is a deeper draft class than normal at those positions

I'll take either. Plus Bleckmon is coming back and he'll be ready at corner.

[Norse]

If Flores leaves how we going to be at piecing together a defense? Would be nice if he sticks around for one more year.
And what would be options at DC if he leaves?

[purplefaithful]

Lots of good corners and defensive lineman should be available in that area. Fortunate for us this is a deeper draft class than normal at those positions

I'll take either. Plus Bleckmon is coming back and he'll be ready at corner.

No doubt IDL. corner is a big need. I would not be surprised if they went tailback at 24, could be the prime spot for one of the top ones this draft. 

(cough, Henderson, cough)

Look what Gibbs and Montgomery have done for the Lions.

Given the # of needs on the team, its surprising to me they posted 14 wins. Not surprising, but kinda incredible. JJM's job would be a lot easier with a running game and that D has to improve vs pass too. 

Vikings are a good team, but not elite.

[medaille]

We’ve pretty much set a strong precedence that we’re going to be running long developing passing plays as our core identity and what KOC prefers. I think it’s essential that we build an OLine that can support that. You tie that along with us having practically a rookie QB next year (first time starter with minimal snaps) and it would be suicide for us to not also develop an OLine that supports a competent running game that can help propel the offense when the passing game stalls. This year our OLine was adequate most of the year in the passing game. Less so in the running game. I think building around a young QB you have to have the OLine good at both.

I think one of the biggest bright spots on our team is having multiple options at QB. Imagine going into this offseason with only Darnold on the roster. You’re probably not getting a QB in the draft. What are your other options? You probably end up overpaying Darnold. It’s massively nuts that people get so uncomfortable having more than one potential option at QB, but having more than one option is what keeps you from getting bent over the barrel by your good but not great QB.

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If Flores leaves how we going to be at piecing together a defense? Would be nice if he sticks around for one more year.
And what would be options at DC if he leaves?

I think the problem with Flores leaving is that his scheme feels so unique that I’m not sure how comfortable you can be with someone else running it, and I’m not sure how comfortable you can be with just switching schemes to something else because a lot of the pieces are tailor made for his style of defense.

[JimmyinSD]

No doubt IDL. corner is a big need. I would not be surprised if they went tailback at 24, could be the prime spot for one of the top ones this draft. 

(cough, Henderson, cough)

Look what Gibbs and Montgomery have done for the Lions.

Given the # of needs on the team, its surprising to me they posted 14 wins. Not surprising, but kinda incredible. JJM's job would be a lot easier with a running game and that D has to improve vs pass too. 

Vikings are a good team, but not elite.

the board is full of posts about needing a massive talent infusion on the OL.... and we are talking about drafting DBs and RBs?

come on guys,  lets commit to fixing the IOL and IDL,  free agency as well as some younger talent as well.  Our DBs look a lot better if we had anything that resembled an interior push in our pass rush without having to send 5+ players.  our run game will look a lot better as well with some damn road graders blowing open holes.  for JJM we need to focus on the OL and dont be happy with 1 new IOL,  lets get serious about fixing the thing or watch JJM turn into the next Sam Darnold... mumbling about seeing ghosts.

[Knucklehead]

We’ve pretty much set a strong precedence that we’re going to be running long developing passing plays as our core identity and what KOC prefers.  I think it’s essential that we build an OLine that can support that.  You tie that along with us having practically a rookie QB next year (first time starter with minimal snaps) and it would be suicide for us to not also develop an OLine that supports a competent running game that can help propel the offense when the passing game stalls.  This year our OLine was adequate most of the year in the passing game.  Less so in the running game.  I think building around a young QB you have to have the OLine good at both.

I think one of the biggest bright spots on our team is having multiple options at QB.  Imagine going into this offseason with only Darnold on the roster.  You’re probably not getting a QB in the draft.  What are your other options?  You probably end up overpaying Darnold.  It’s massively nuts that people get so uncomfortable having more than one potential option at QB, but having more than one option is what keeps you from getting bent over the barrel by your good but not great QB.

---

I think the problem with Flores leaving is that his scheme feels so unique that I’m not sure how comfortable you can be with someone else running it, and I’m not sure how comfortable you can be with just switching schemes to something else because a lot of the pieces are tailor made for his style of defense.

This is a good point. Who on the current staff could succeed Flores if he leaves? We've heard some positive buzz about Daronte Jones, but I haven't heard anyone say that he's the logical successor to Flores.