The Minnesota Vikings chose to move forward with J.J. McCarthy this past offseason rather than meet Sam Darnold’s contract demands after his solid 2024 season.
That decision has come under fire as Darnold finds success with the Seattle Seahawks while Minnesota battles inconsistency.
The Vikings have collected three wins this season, but four losses tell a different story.
Thursday night’s 37-10 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers added to mounting concerns about the direction of this team.
Former NFL quarterback and analyst Dan Orlovsky offered a sharp assessment of Minnesota’s struggles following that lopsided loss.
“I think this is the most disappointing roster in football right now. This is an organization that, this offseason, spent the second-most free agent money in the NFL. This is a roster built in many of our eyes to be quarterback-independent. This offensive line cannot protect on a consistent basis at all. This run defense has been run over this season, all over this year. Quarterback is not the problem in Minnesota right now. J.J. McCarthy isn’t going to save them. Carson Wentz isn’t going to save them. This roster’s unbelievably disappointing right now,” Orlovsky said.
"I think this is the most disappointing roster in football right now."@danorlovsky7 weighs in on the Vikings after their loss to the Chargers on Thursday 👀 pic.twitter.com/1jRkdTwCPP
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 24, 2025
Minnesota invested $264 million across 12 free agents last offseason, trailing only the Patriots’ $359.6 million spending spree.
Those additions have yet to produce the expected results on the field.
The offensive line continues to struggle with protection, and the run defense has been exploited repeatedly throughout the year.
Against the Chargers, the Vikings managed just 10 points, marking the second time this season their offense has sputtered badly.
Carson Wentz started in place of the injured McCarthy but never found a rhythm while dealing with a shoulder issue.
He completed 15 of 27 passes for 144 yards with one touchdown, one interception, and five sacks taken.
Injuries to Christian Darrisaw, McCarthy, and Brian O’Neill have created additional challenges for an already struggling unit.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell faces a November 2 matchup against the Detroit Lions with possibly some positive injury updates regarding key players in the coming days.
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