This morning, the Minnesota Vikings had their worst fears come to life. That is because it was confirmed that rookie QB J.J. McCarthy will miss the entire 2024 season, per McQuade Arnold of Gridiron Heroics.
That means Sam Darnold is in the driver’s seat to be the starting quarterback for the Vikings moving forward. Will Darnold last the entire season as the starter? I give my thoughts on this below.
Minnesota Vikings’ 2024 Schedule
To get an idea of how long Darnold can last this season, we need to get a better idea of the challenges that lie ahead. Here is the Vikings’ full 2024 schedule:
- at New York Giants
- vs. San Francisco 49ers
- vs. Houston Texans
- at Green Bay Packers
- vs. New York Jets (London)
- BYE
- vs. Detroit Lions
- at Los Angeles Rams
- vs. Indianapolis Colts
- at Jacksonville Jaguars
- at Tennessee Titans
- at Chicago Bears
- vs. Arizona Cardinals
- vs. Atlanta Falcons
- vs. Chicago Bears
- at Seattle Seahawks
- vs. Green Bay Packers
- at Detroit Lions
The Vikings’ 2024 schedule is brutal, to say the least. Five of their first seven games are against teams that made the playoffs last season. If that was not enough, one of those games is against the New York Jets, who are expected to get veteran QB Aaron Rodgers back this season. Assuming the Vikings get off to a slow start against their early opponents, Darnold’s job could be on the line quickly.
Minnesota Vikings’ Other Quarterbacks
Another thing we need to understand is the Vikings’ other options at the quarterback position besides Darnold. Right now, those options are not great. The only other quarterbacks on the depth chart are Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall.
Mullens performed badly enough to be part of a rare 3-0 game last season. Jaren Hall was given multiple opportunities as a rookie as well. However, he was benched at halftime in his last start due to a poor performance.
As a result, these quarterbacks are not viable options to take the job from Darnold. Because of this, we should expect Minnesota to acquire a new quarterback within the next month or so. If it is one of the three quarterbacks I mentioned in this article, expect Darnold’s leash as starting quarterback to be shorter.
How Many Games Will Sam Darnold Play?
I truly believe the Minnesota Vikings will acquire a quarterback such as Ryan Tannehill, Taylor Heinicke, or Tommy DeVito within the next month or so. One of those quarterbacks would provide Darnold with legitimate competition for the starting job.
In my opinion, Darnold should retain the starting job at least until the bye week. However, Darnold and the Vikings could start the season badly enough during those first five games where they make a change following their trip back to the United States.
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