Kevin O'Connell
Kevin O'Connell
Sam Darnold leaving Minnesota looked risky when it happened. It looks downright brutal now. If you’re Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, you have to wish you could turn back time.
The Minnesota Vikings let Darnold walk after a 14-win season and handed their offense to J.J. McCarthy, who was recently involved in possible trade discussions.. Darnold responded by winning a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. McCarthy responded by throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and missing seven games.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah already paid for that miscalculation with his job. O’Connell survived, but he probably shouldn’t feel too comfortable. The Vikings head coach is now turning to Kyler Murray, another talented quarterback with plenty to prove.
If this experiment blows up, Minnesota may start wondering whether O’Connell should be allowed to pick another quarterback.
Kyler Murray Experiment Could Be Kevin O’Connell’s Last Stand With Vikings
Minnesota Guessed Wrong on Sam Darnold
Letting Darnold leave was not completely ridiculous at the time.
He wanted a substantial contract, and his ugly performances at the end of the 2024 season created legitimate concerns. Minnesota had also used the 10th overall pick on McCarthy. Eventually, the kid had to play.
Well, he played. It wasn’t pretty.
McCarthy completed 58% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 10 starts. An ankle injury, concussion and hand issue kept interrupting his season. Even when healthy, he looked like a quarterback trying to process everything half a second too late.
There were a few promising moments. There were also enough bad ones to make Minnesota sign Murray rather than hand McCarthy the job again.
While the Vikings searched for answers, Darnold threw for more than 4,000 yards and helped Seattle win Super Bowl LX. He didn’t carry the Seahawks to the championship by himself, but that won’t make Minnesota feel any better. The quarterback it declined to keep now owns a ring.
That is one hell of an expensive lesson.
Kyler Murray is Cheap, But Hardly Safe
The Vikings are paying Murray only the veteran minimum because Arizona remains responsible for nearly all of his guaranteed salary. For $1.3 million, Minnesota had every reason to make the call.
The concern isn’t his contract. It’s what his arrival says about McCarthy and O’Connell.
The Arizona Cardinals finally gave up on Murray after seven seasons, a 38-48-1 record and far too many injuries. He once appeared headed toward becoming one of the league’s most dangerous quarterbacks. That version of Murray hasn’t been seen consistently in years.
Now O’Connell gets a shot at fixing him.
That sounds familiar, of course. O’Connell helped Darnold revive his career, only for the Vikings to let him finish the story in Seattle. Minnesota is trying the same reclamation project again, except this time its supposed franchise quarterback is still standing in the room.
If Murray wins the starting job, McCarthy becomes a former top-10 pick who could not beat out a veteran Arizona paid to leave. If McCarthy wins, the Vikings will have spent an entire offseason creating a quarterback controversy for no reason.
Kevin O’Connell Needs This Gamble to Work
O’Connell deserves credit for Minnesota’s regular-season success. He also cannot separate himself from the decisions that brought the Vikings here.
He supported drafting McCarthy. He was part of the organization that decided Darnold was replaceable. He was heavily involved in bringing Murray to Minnesota before Nolan Teasley was hired as general manager.
That puts the pressure squarely on the Vikings head coach.
Murray does not need to become an MVP candidate. He needs to stay healthy, play efficient football and get Minnesota back into the postseason. If he cannot do that, McCarthy needs to show enough improvement to justify another year of patience.
If neither happens, the Vikings will have wasted two seasons trying to replace the quarterback who just won a Super Bowl.
Adofo-Mensah has already taken the fall for Minnesota’s quarterback plan. O’Connell may be next if Murray becomes another name on the growing list of failed answers.
Main Photo Courtesy of Matt Krohn – Imagn Images