This Darnold dilemma is so Vikings

[StickierBuns]

Honestly. So here's how this year is going to go and I can't be the only one that's thought this since Sammy went and had a mostly really good year. 

1. Minnesota lets Sammy walk and sign elsewhere and he knocks it out of the park. Some fans have said how can you let that production walk out the door? Whether you agree with that or not, its a legit sentiment. 
   
2. Sammy walks, knocks it out of the park and McCarthy sucks. Horrible scenario. Quintessential Vikings and our worst nightmare as fans.
   
3. Both Sammy and JJ play well for their respective teams. The most palatable of the scenarios. Sign me up for this.
   
4. Sammy completely comes unglued with his new team and McCarthy rocks and shows those franchise QB traits in purple. I honestly don't want Sammy to shit the bed, he's a good kid. I have zero aptitude to enjoy watching him fail somewhere. But would be great for the Vikings and their future. 
   
5. Least likely scenario: both QBs suck in 2025. Nothing to be done there. 
   

The comparisons all year long by the sports media is 100% guaranteed, probably week to week: Darnold stats vs. McCarthy stats. Wins. Crucial plays. It'll force me to start to root AGAINST Uncle Sammy and any possible success for him. Rarely does the story end well for both parties and I don't expect this to either. Can only hope Minnesota comes up smelling like a rose. In KOC we trust....I do feel very good about McCarthy as you all know.

[JustInTime]

JJ is Jayden Daniels 2.0 and we go to the NFC championship game.

Darnold gets his bag and returns to the mean.

[StickierBuns]

JJ is Jayden Daniels 2.0 and we go to the NFC championship game.

Darnold gets his bag and returns to the mean.

[JustInTime]

   

[purplefaithful]

Young QB who grows-up in the system, plays here a long time and wins a lot...

That's NOT very Vikings and I hope JJ breaks that decades long trend.

Wish Sam the best, I'll be rooting for him some. Hope he's in AFC so I can remain a real fan of his.

[MaroonBells]

Yes, there is real potential for an egg facial here. Unless both QBs do well or both QBs fail, this decision will be remembered for years to come. 

My money's on the QB that plays in KOC's offense. I suspect Darnold will play well. Obviously not as well as he did with our surround, but significantly better than he did in either NY or Carolina. I also suspect McCarthy will have growing pains, but ultimately prove worthy of the team's trust in him. He will have an even better surround than Darnold had. 

But again, the keeping or not keeping Darnold isn't the issue. The issue is about letting a 27 yo QB who won 14 games and threw for 4300 yards and 35 TDs walk out the door with only a future comp pick to show for it.

[StickierBuns]

But again, the keeping or not keeping Darnold isn't the issue. The issue is about letting a 27 yo QB who won 14 games and threw for 4300 yards and 35 TDs walk out the door with only a future comp pick to show for it.

But why is it the issue? Some fans seem stuck on this and I think it comes mostly because we don't have shit for draft picks in this Draft. They both agreed for this to happen and both parties benefitted. I don't get the outrage.

[MaroonBells]

But why is it the issue? Some fans seem stuck on this and I think it comes mostly because we don't have shit for draft picks in this Draft. They both agreed for this to happen and both parties benefitted. I don't get the outrage.

Yes, of course the Vikings need draft picks. I wouldn't call it outrage--I'm not one of the mimis who will scream for Kwesi's head if it doesn't happen. But you would think that a 27 year old QB, former 3rd overall pick with all the arm talent in the world, was in the MVP conversation midseason, won 14 games and threw for 4300 yards yada yada, would be an asset you can turn into draft capital. 

Like I said before, I have to wonder if no OC wants to take on the potential embarrassment of trying to replicate what KOC was able to do with Darnold.

[MAD GAINZ]

Yes, there is real potential for an egg facial here. Unless both QBs do well or both QBs fail, this decision will be remembered for years to come. 

My money's on the QB that plays in KOC's offense. I suspect Darnold will play well. Obviously not as well as he did with our surround, but significantly better than he did in either NY or Carolina. I also suspect McCarthy will have growing pains, but ultimately prove worthy of the team's trust in him. He will have an even better surround than Darnold had. 

But again, the keeping or not keeping Darnold isn't the issue. The issue is about letting a 27 yo QB who won 14 games and threw for 4300 yards and 35 TDs walk out the door with only a future comp pick to show for it.

The bold is where it is at... the Vikings have a great setup for any QB to thrive.  Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, two bookend OTs, a great offensive mind and play caller.

I honestly think we'll get good production from any QB that plays in this offense.  The Vikings hand picked JJ McCarthy because they believed he would fit their offense.  According to our Head Coach, he's exceeded their expectations in every way.

I think this Darnold smoke is the Vikings organizationally wanting to keep their QB room strong (Kevin talked about how that was a priority in 2024 and will be moving forward).  I'm guessing they want to keep either Darnold or Daniel Jones to compete with JJ in 2025.  I'm sure they are talking to both QBs agents and agents talk and leak shit and here we are.

What I do know is KOC believes JJ McCarthy is a franchise QB.  He'll either be the starter in 2025 or 2026 at the latest.

[Zanary]

I'm in agreement that I wish the best for Sam, except vs. the Vikings; that's my basic sentiment towards most of our better players that depart.

JJM is still a multi-faceted mystery, with his leg and his development both being huge questions that we can only speculate about from out here. KOC's confidence in the kid, echoed by JJ and others, is very reassuring, but...we have a tiny amount of camp/preseason footage as our only "evidence" of the kid in purple.

I don't know that Sam will completely "un-Sam" in any system, including our own. Granted, our IOL problems have been an anchor around our offense and team for many years, now, but he really did seem to shrink as the lights got brighter. Maybe he fixes that, maybe not, but that's the most recent information. I'm absolutely great with helping a young QB regain his career footing when he's helped get us a huge stack of wins.

"Dimes" is the wild card in this pack, at least to me. We don't know if he's staying or going, whether he's a decent Sam-equivalent behind the scenes or just being talked up as a bargaining chip, and what it'd cost to keep him around. He's looked both good and disastrous for the Giants at times, so...does KOC perform his magic, again, or...?

Whatever the case, I want JJM, Dimes, or SOMEONE to have the job fully in hand going into next offseason. This "who's our QB?" BS every year gets very tiring.