Have the Vikings Built A Supporting Cast To Contend In 2024?

In the weeks leading up to last spring’s NFL Draft, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah held a press conference to discuss his strategy. Everyone knew the Minnesota Vikings would select a quarterback after Kirk Cousins departed in free agency, but nobody knew what the front office wanted in their new signal-caller.

The Vikings could cast a wide net with options ranging from Drake Maye to Bo Nix. However, Adofo-Mensah told reporters it wasn’t just who the quarterback was. It was what that quarterback had around them.

“It’s the most important position in our sport…[but] it’s not just getting the quarterback right,” Adofo-Mensah explained. “It’s getting the quarterback and the team around him. … If you look at our offseason in a sense, the go-between quarterback assets and everything else, I think you don’t want to necessarily go take these huge swings and not be able to build a team around them.”

His philosophy was a big reason the Vikings didn’t swing a blockbuster trade to acquire the No. 3 pick from the New England Patriots. Instead, they waited to trade up one pick to select J.J. McCarthy 10th overall. Still, even as McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus, building a team around the quarterback is just as important in 2024 as they look to build around Sam Darnold.

Adofo-Mensah’s philosophy stems from the success of recent quarterbacks. Jalen Hurts and Brock Purdy are success stories from recent drafts. However, the support system around them, from playmakers to coaching staff, was a big reason they led their teams to the Super Bowl.

There are also outliers, as Adofo-Mensah mentioned to USA Today’s Jori Epstein in 2022. Still, the odds of landing one like Patrick Mahomes or Tom Brady are slim.

That's why they kept the future in mind when trading up for McCarthy, and the motto rings true this season. When Cousins left for the Atlanta Falcons, many raised their eyebrows when the Vikings signed Sam Darnold as his replacement. Still, banking on the supporting cast is a great idea in a free-agent market usually filled with lemons.

Baker Mayfield is a glowing example. When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Mayfield last offseason, many thought they were in a rebuilding year. However, they put him into an infrastructure that included Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Tristan Wirfs, and Rachaad White. The Buccaneers went 9-8, won a playoff game, and Mayfield got a big contract this spring.

But the Vikings aren’t trying to find “The Next Kirk Cousins” or “The Next Baker Mayfield.” They’re trying to find the right quarterback that the pieces around him can elevate.

Darnold’s arm strength and physical ability helped him go third overall to the New York Jets in the 2018 draft. However, poor infrastructure doomed his time in the Big Apple and with the Carolina Panthers when the Jets traded him in 2021. The Vikings believe they have the right supporting cast with Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw, and T.J. Hockenson on the field and Kevin O’Connell at the controls. Still, that is up for debate.

ESPN’s Mike Clay ranked each team’s position groups over the weekend, and the Vikings wound up 32nd at quarterback. While Clay admitted that McCarthy’s injury had a major impact on their ranking, he also didn’t find the pieces around it attractive.

The Vikings ranked third at safety and ninth at receiver in the rankings. However, they were no higher than 12th in any other part of the roster. Minnesota also ranked 24th or lower at five different positions, with running back and linebacker ranking 24th and interior defensive line and cornerback at 26th.

To Clay’s point, you can poke holes in other areas of the roster. The Vikings signed Stephon Gilmore to a one-year, $10 million contract. Still, the rest of the cornerback room has been a Royal Rumble with Shaquill Griffin battling a hamstring injury, and other options such as Akayleb Evans are more suited for a reserve role.

The defensive line remains an incognito group, with Harrison Phillips and Jerry Tillery leading the way. Although the Vikings added Aaron Jones at running back, he’s 30 years old at a position where years of service are treated like dog years.

It doesn’t stop there. Many football fans will ask Who is Blake Brandel? before learning he’s starting at left guard. Ivan Pace Jr. and Blake Cashman don’t have much depth behind them at inside linebacker.

Even Minnesota's strengths have some weaknesses. Their safety room ranks third on Clay’s list, but positional value suggests they could use those assets elsewhere. Wide receiver features Jefferson but is a question mark thanks to Jordan Addison’s pending DUI case (and possible suspension) and Jalen Nailor, who has spent the first two seasons on the injured list.

Hockenson’s rehab from a multi-ligament knee injury is another problem. When you add it all up, Minnesota's overall roster ranks 27th, according to Clay.

Clay’s opinion isn’t the only one out there, but many are buying into it. Minnesota's over/under win total has hovered around six or seven throughout the offseason, and Vegas will likely consider the Vikings an underdog for most of its games this season.

However, the Vikings can capitalize if they know something we don’t. The safety group feels like overkill, but Brian Flores has been more creative than a stoner in a Taco Bell test kitchen. With Jonathan Greenard, Dallas Turner, and Andrew Van Ginkel at edge rusher, Flores has more options to attack the quarterback and could use it to produce a top-10 defense.

Minnesota’s offense could also improve if Jones helps the running game and the weapons get stronger as the season progresses. Addison’s case could be delayed, Nailor could stay healthy, and Hockenson could return after the first month, which would give Darnold a new set of weapons to keep the Vikings afloat.

Then there’s the culture. O’Connell was one of three head coaches, along with Dan Campbell and Andy Reid, to receive an A-plus in the NFL Player’s Association’s annual report card. His ability to get the most out of his players was apparent despite Minnesota’s 7-10 record last season. He could elevate the Vikings as a group even after Cousins’ departure.

The quality of Minnesota’s supporting cast ultimately comes down to the eye of the beholder. If the Vikings are right, it could give Darnold the tools to push this team toward the playoffs while building the foundation for McCarthy and a potential Super Bowl window next season.

If they’re wrong, it could set up a busy offseason where Minnesota makes significant changes to build a supporting cast around McCarthy.