A steady rain fell upon the Minnesota Vikings during their final practice of 2024 training camp on Thursday. It may have been an appropriately gloomy symbol of outside expectations for the team, considering the tragedy that has befallen the franchise on and off the field this offseason. And yet there were also clear signs for optimism amid the cloudy skies, especially at premium position groups.
Here are some key takeaways as the regular season approaches:
Sam Darnold can make any throw
To be fair, the question with Sam Darnold, the journeyman starter replacing Kirk Cousins, has never really been about talent as much as reliability. But there were several times Thursday when the former top-three pick reminded all in attendance that he has what you’d call a definitive NFL arm. A team scrimmage saw him chuck several passes into the grass while facing quick interior pressure, but he also layered a precision strike over the linebacker crew and lofted a perfect downfield corner shot for a touchdown
To put it simply, there isn’t a throw this guy can’t make. Which is more than can be said for some placeholders or emergency starters at quarterback. The key will likely be how much support he has in the run game, up front and on defense to offset any risky throws he might attempt as a result of his live arm. The feeling here, for 2024, isn’t necessarily that Darnold will make a seismic leap, but that he’s got a chance to be a top-20 starter for a competitive group in the most advantageous starting gig he’s had.
Justin Jefferson is a machine, and will remain the centerpiece of Kevin O’Connell’s passing attack. It doesn’t take a visit to practice to forecast that. As for what’s behind him, Jordan Addison is a top-tier No. 2, but there are several reasons to anticipate he won’t be active or at full speed when the season begins: In addition to an expected suspension for his off-field driving incident, he was seen only engaging in light stretching to the side of regular practice Thursday as he recovers from an ankle injury. In fact, tight end T.J. Hockenson, who’s recovering from a torn ACL, appeared more aggressive in rehab, sprinting with resistance bands during portions of practice.
Who will step up if Addison and/or Hockenson are sidelined? Brandon Powell and Jalen Nailor register as the top candidates to serve as the No. 2 or No. 3 options, perhaps in rotation. The former is coming off a career year as a small but tough and shifty slot target, deemed the Vikings’ “little bulldog” by Jefferson. The latter has shown chemistry with Darnold on splash plays, looking like one of the team’s top deep-ball and red-zone options in summer practice.
The Vikings spent money on the front seven early in free agency, adding veterans like Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Blake Cashman before also using a first-round pick on pass rusher Dallas Turner. The most intriguing piece of Flores’ defense may be the back end, however, considering the sheer volume of experienced cornerbacks and safeties vying for first-team reps out of the gate.
In 11-on-11 drills Thursday, Byron Murphy was the steadiest presence in the starting lineup at corner, one year after he made his Vikings debut. Recent Pro Bowl addition Stephon Gilmore, meanwhile, saw a heavy dose of starting reps just days after making his own Minnesota debut at camp. Fellow veteran Shaquill Griffin was also on the field with the ones during nickel packages, while journeyman Fabian Moreau joined the crop of rotating first-teamers. Throw in the safety foursome of Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson, and this unit could have especially deep nickel/dime packages.
