Since last year's finale for division title, Vikings said goodbye to Darnold, hello to McCarthy and invested savings in both trenches
Allen Park — The last time the Detroit Lions matched up with NFC North rival Minnesota, it was an unprecedented winner-take-all season finale between a pair of 14-win teams.
The Lions won that matchup, decidedly, and after a Wild Card exit at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams the following week, the Vikings entered the offseason with a number of difficult decisions on how to get their roster to the next level.
That started at the quarterback position, where the choice was ponying up the steep price to retain Sam Darnold after his breakout campaign under the tutelage of coach Kevin O’Connell, or turning the keys of the operation over to J.J. McCarthy, the team’s first-round pick in 2024, who missed his rookie season with a knee injury.
The Vikings chose McCarthy, letting Darnold walk. Unfortunately, injuries have continued to plague the start of McCarthy’s career. After starting the first two games this season, he’s missed five straight with an ankle injury.
That left O’Connell to try his hand with another reclamation projection, former No. 2 pick Carson Wentz. He proved to be no Darnold, tossing more interceptions than touchdowns as the Vikings have dropped three of the past four games. Of course, we now know Wentz was playing through a severe shoulder injury, which will end his season. That’s a viable excuse for struggling.
Still, no one should tell Minnesota how Darnold is doing in Seattle.