The Minnesota Vikings wrapped up their preseason last Saturday with a 26-3 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, finishing 3-0. This is an accomplishment for head coach Kevin O’Connell, who had been 0-6 in his first two preseasons. Yet, this success won’t matter once the regular season starts. The Vikings have a lot to prove in 2024. They’ve let go of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins and lost rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a season-ending meniscus injury. With that in mind, here are three bold predictions for the 2024 Vikings.
3 Bold Predictions for the Minnesota Vikings 2024 Season
1. Sam Darnold Has at Least a 2:1 Touchdown to Interception Ratio
Throughout the first six seasons of Sam Darnold’s career, he has become known for turning the ball over. Darnold has thrown 63 touchdowns and 56 interceptions in 66 games. His touchdown-to-interception ratio is the second-worst out of the five quarterbacks drafted in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The only quarterback with a worse touchdown to interception ratio than Darnold is Josh Rosen, who is no longer in the NFL. Rosen threw 12 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in three NFL seasons.
So if Darnold has proven to be an average to below-average quarterback so far what makes this year any different? Having a skilled offensive play-caller like O’Connell and a talented supporting cast will make a significant difference.
This has been evident throughout training camp and in the one preseason drive Darnold played. Reports from training camp indicate that Darnold has developed a strong connection with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, connecting on multiple deep passes. Although Jefferson sat out the preseason drive, Darnold still went 4-of-8 for 59 yards. Of his four incompletions, only one was an overthrow. The others were drops or contested throws.
Despite these positives, Darnold has still had interception issues during camp. Interceptions in training camp can result from various factors, such as testing throwing windows or the defense anticipating plays. So, some of Darnold’s camp mistakes might not show in games.
Considering all these factors, Darnold could be in for a career-best season in terms of his touchdown-to-interception ratio.
2. Dallas Turner Collects More Than Six Sacks
Predicting a rookie’s success is tough because some skills might not translate to the NFL. Dallas Turner, however, stood out in the preseason opener against the Raiders. He used his speed and power to generate two pressures and a sack against Andrus Peat, a former Pro Bowl tackle. But against the Browns, Turner wasn’t as impactful, only making one tackle. This shows Turner’s impact as a rookie can be unpredictable.
Despite the unpredictability of Turner’s performance as a rookie, the speed and power he displayed in the preseason suggest he could surpass six sacks this season. If he reaches this milestone, Turner would rank third on the Vikings’ all-time rookie sack list. Keith Millard currently holds the top spot with 11 sacks, followed by Kevin Williams with 10.5 sacks, and Danielle Hunter with 6 sacks.
Since the Vikings brought Turner in as a long-term replacement for Hunter, surpassing Hunter’s rookie sack record would be a significant accomplishment. Exceeding six sacks might also indicate a bright future for Turner. After Hunter’s six-sack rookie season, he went on to record multiple double-digit sack seasons with the Vikings—a path the team certainly hopes Turner will follow.
3. The Vikings Will Have a Top-15 Rushing Offense
This offseason, the Vikings brought in Aaron Jones to revitalize a running game that has ranked in the bottom ten for the past two seasons. Jones immediately adds explosiveness out of the backfield, something the Vikings have lacked under O’Connell. Last season, Jones rushed for 646 yards on 142 attempts, averaging 4.6 yards per carry in 11 games. His addition complements Ty Chandler, who is on the rise after rushing for 461 yards on 102 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. Together, Jones and Chandler form the best running back duo the Vikings have had in a while.
Although the Vikings have a great running back duo, Darnold’s legs will be the difference-maker in elevating the rushing attack. During the past six seasons with Cousins, the Vikings lacked a quarterback who could make plays with his legs. Cousins only surpassed 100 rushing yards in a season three times, with his highest total being 156 yards.
On the other hand, Darnold has only had two seasons where he didn’t rush for over 100 yards. In one of those seasons, he started just one game but played in ten. With Darnold’s proven mobility, the Vikings should gain at least an extra 100 yards on the ground.
Main Photo: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
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