The Minnesota Vikings face low 2024 season win projections, but QB J.J. McCarthy is taking command. Can he and a revamped roster prove the doubters wrong?
StatPro NFL Beat Reporter
Just one season removed from a 14-3 campaign, the Minnesota Vikings find themselves as the NFL's biggest underdog, saddled with a league-low 8.5-win projection from oddsmakers. But while the experts are counting them out, the mood inside TCO Performance Center tells a different story. With quarterback J.J. McCarthy finally taking first-team reps and a flurry of offseason moves aimed at bolstering the trenches, the Vikings are quietly forging an identity built on physicality and defiance.
We have the pieces to compete with anyone if we stay healthy and execute.
After an injury wiped out his rookie season, the J.J. McCarthy era is officially underway. The 10th overall pick from the 2025 draft is not only taking the starting reps but also addressing the national narrative of skepticism head-on. 'I’m just focused on getting better every day and earning the trust of my teammates,' McCarthy told reporters Thursday. That trust seems to be building quickly. Veteran center Ryan Kelly was quick to praise the young QB's leadership in a recent media appearance, a crucial endorsement for a player tasked with leading a team that has Super Bowl aspirations, even if the odds are long.
General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's philosophy of building a rugged, physical team is evident in the team's latest moves. The Vikings locked up a key component of their offense, signing blocking specialist TE Josh Oliver to a three-year, $23.25 million extension. The move, coupled with the signing of TE Giovanni Ricci, reinforces the team's commitment to a powerful run game. This follows a draft strategy that saw the Vikings select Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson in the first round, continuing to pour premium assets into the trenches to protect their new franchise quarterback.
On the other side of the ball, a new-look defense is gelling faster than expected. New defensive linemen Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave are anchoring the front, while safety Theo Jackson is stepping up to replace the departed Camryn Bynum. Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores is ecstatic about the unit's energy, highlighting post-practice dance-offs as a sign of their growing chemistry. 'My joy comes from watching them have excitement, have fun on the field,' Flores said. The competition is also heating up in the secondary, where undrafted cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn is making a strong case for a roster spot with his athleticism and playmaking.
Let's not ignore the elephant in the room: the +290 odds to win the NFC North and the +2200 odds for a Super Bowl title. The skepticism is fueled by a daunting schedule that features 11 games against teams with winning records from 2024. However, this external doubt seems to be fueling internal motivation. As center Ryan Kelly stated, the talent is there. For a team that won 14 games just a year ago, the low expectations serve as prime bulletin board material as they prepare to navigate the 2025 season.
While the rest of the league sleeps on the Vikings, the pieces are moving in Eagan. A confident young quarterback is taking command, key contributors are being rewarded, and a reloaded defense is building the kind of chemistry that wins championships. The 8.5-win projection might be the reality in Vegas, but on the practice field, the Vikings are building a team that plans to shatter those expectations. The road ahead is tough, but this team seems to have the grit, the leadership, and the motivation to make some noise in the NFC.
