***2026 Minnesota Vikings***
- Thread starter Marcelason78
- Start date
Agreed. They missed the playoffs by a half game with trash QB play.
There were 4 games where if they just had average QB play, they win...Steelers, Eagles, Ravens and the 2nd Bears game.
Without Darnold the Seahawks don't get the 1 seed, Rams would have gotten it. Rams defense wasn't great in the playoffs and their special teams were atrocious.
The Vikings defense was playing as good as anyone at the end of the year so who knows what could've happened.
This was the year to make the Super Bowl. That Patriots team was the worst AFC champ in a long time.
The Vikings run game was atrocious though. Darnold got carried by the Seattle O-Line and success in the run game. Does he have near the season he does with Seattle without it? I don't think so.
Agree there. Minnesota has a lot of holes on offense that need fixing. Still would have been better with Darnold than #9. Superbowl good? Likely not.
Two things are true here:
Vikings were bad this year in part because they let Darnold leave.
The Seahawks won this Super Bowl based on a dominant pass rush and a great running game.
Vikings were bad this year in part because they let Darnold leave.
The Seahawks won this Super Bowl based on a dominant pass rush and a great running game.
Yeah Darnold was largely pedestrian at the end of the season and in the playoffs, outside of the Rams game. Vikings would have been better with him, but likely another Wild Car/Divisional round loss type season, IMO.
Bingo. Seahawks didn't need a top QB, they needed a good-enough QB and that's what they got. A good-enough QB wouldn't be enough to get the Vikings there. This is why the FO let him leave to begin with.
Also helped that SEA played probably the "worst" AFC Superbowl team in a long time, but that's whatever. No control over that. I'm convinced that today's league is heavily driven on pass rush, similar to all the blitzing and looks MIN uses also. Great teams today rarely have bad pass rush.
Don't disagree. Run game definitely helps the QB. But the reverse is also true. A good passing game helps open running lanes. Teams were loading up the box on the Vikings because the QB/passing game wasn't a threat.
Some of the Vikings rushing issues fall on KOC's play calling.
My point in the other post was the Vikings just needed average QB play to make the playoffs. Darnold would've given them average QB.
Based on Sportrac numbers, Vikes are just over $40M in the hole for next season. Some interesting potential moves could happen with some of the big money guys. Cap savings for some notable potential moves below.
Justin Jefferson: Conversion 19,530,000
Brian O’Neill: Conversion 14,580,000 Cut/Trade 18,615,000
Christian Darrisaw: Conversion 11,161,543
Javon Hargrave: Conversion 11,070,000 Cut 10,115,000 Trade 14,115,000
TJ Hockenson: 11,848,000 Cut/Trade 8,005,000
Will Fries: Conversion 9,626,000 Trade 17,220,000 Cut 4,610,000
Jonathan Grenard: Conversion 13,800,000
Ryan Kelly: Cut/Trade 7,865,000
Justin Jefferson: Conversion 19,530,000
Brian O’Neill: Conversion 14,580,000 Cut/Trade 18,615,000
Christian Darrisaw: Conversion 11,161,543
Javon Hargrave: Conversion 11,070,000 Cut 10,115,000 Trade 14,115,000
TJ Hockenson: 11,848,000 Cut/Trade 8,005,000
Will Fries: Conversion 9,626,000 Trade 17,220,000 Cut 4,610,000
Jonathan Grenard: Conversion 13,800,000
Ryan Kelly: Cut/Trade 7,865,000
Pats wouldn’t have been there if Bo Nix played. Broncos vs Seahawks would have been great.
I was thinking you get rid of him and Darrisaw.
Darrisaw is great when he's healthy, and he's never healthy. Hockenson is past his prime.
Looks like a more full rebuild might be on. It is crazy how much damage one terrible hire can do to a franchise. Kwesi's poor decisions have hamstrung the franchise for years. He was hired as a numbers guy to get the salary cap situation fixed, yet they are $43 million over the cap and are shedding or trying to trade some of their best talent to try and get under the cap. His atrocious drafting has been well discussed. And he totally botched the QB situation in every way imaginable. His hiring might end up being the worst hire in Vikings history - including Les Steckel.
Nah, Greenard wants a new contract with his accomplishments from 2 seasons ago. Greenard and Van Ginkel play 2 completely different positions in the Flores defense. They tried Dallas Turner in the VG position when he was hurt and Dallas played terrible, but when Greenard got hurt Dallas looked amazing. They have depth at this individual position and if Greenard won't play under his current contract then trading him to someone who can afford a new contract for him makes a ton of sense especially when you have a top 20 1st rounder tied to a DE you really like in the same position. Plus Greenard's value is pretty high right now with his pressure rate. Get what picks you can for him or move up to replace hitman.
