The Vikings haven’t had the luck on their side with JJ McCarthy. When they picked him 10th overall last season, it created a massive buzz around Minnesota that they haven’t had for years. McCarthy was coming off a historic college career at Michigan, where he finished with a 27-1 record as a starting quarterback. So, transitioning into the NFL, he was expected to have a similar impact. However, things didn’t go exactly to plan. McCarthy became the first rookie to miss his entire campaign because of a torn meniscus. Sam Darnold may have acted as the savior of the Vikings through his breakout year. But when it came to the big games, the Vikings floundered. That’s something their 14th-year veteran safety Harrison Smith doesn’t want anymore. Enough of mediocracy, it’s time for the Vikings to wake up.
Harrison Smith has been the backbone of the Purple defense for well over a decade now. He has made the All-Pro and Pro Bowl trips a combined 7 times. Steered the Vikings to 6 postseason runs. But sadly, none of those have resulted in a trip to the Super Bowl yet. “I haven’t won a Super Bowl, so do I have the credibility to speak on that? But I know how to win, that’s for sure,” Smith said after signing a one-year, $10M extension with the Vikes.
Smith may have won a lot of regular-season games in his 192 outings over the last 13 seasons. But he feels it’s not taking them anywhere. Having spent a chunk of his Vikings tenure under Mike Zimmer, Smith reached the postseason only thrice. Now, after three seasons under Kevin O’Connell, Smith is brimming with excitement about his club’s future. “There’s a foundation that’s been set that, you can notice it—things operate pretty smoothly, and the people here are giving high-level effort and winning a lot of ball games,” Smith mused. Still, Smith feels it’s not enough. They need to dial up a notch without coming up with excuses.
“There’s another level that we need to get to, and in this business, you have to do it right now. It’s not like, Oh, you know, year one was good. Let’s just keep trying. It’s got to happen right now..Turn it up a little bit to a level we haven’t been before,” Smith quipped. Vikings have won a bunch of regular-season games under KOC. But in the playoffs, they are still 0-2. Last year, even after winning 14 games in the regular season. The Vikings embarrassingly lost to the Rams 27-9 without scoring a single TD. That’s where Darnold’s limitations were exposed as he left Minnesota in the summer.
Now, all hopes reside on a sophomore QB who hasn’t played a single snap in his NFL career. O’Connell may have said, “I think he’s ready to hit the ground running” about McCarthy. But can someone who hasn’t had real game experience lead the Vikings deeper into the playoffs? By the looks of it, the Vikings’ stance on McCarthy might be a gamble. However, to ensure that even if this gamble fails, they probably have a backup plan in Kirk Cousins.
Vikings linked to a possible Kirk Cousins trade after rejecting Aaron Rodgers
At the start of the offseason, the Vikings were regularly linked with Aaron Rodgers. Even the 4-time NFL MVP had the desire to return to his old hunting ground, the NFC North. But since the Vikings doubled down on their stance of sticking with JJ McCarthy. Rodgers’ rumors have shimmered down. That’s just the public story. Privately, the Vikings are said to be taking a close interest in the Falcons’ ousted QB, Kirk Cousins. The 36-year-old hasn’t enjoyed a great time in Atlanta, even though his time there has led to a financial windfall for him.
Having earned a 4-year, $180M contract, Cousins has already picked up over $100M in just 13 months. Now, with $45M guaranteed still left in his contract, the Falcons are looking for someone who can at least pay a portion of his guarantees. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Falcons could trade Cousins if someone pays $20M of his $45M guaranteed money. While no one is eager to pay $20M given the way Cousins played last season, Schefter believes the Vikings and Steelers are willing to make a deal, but on their own terms.
“There is a feeling around the league that a team, whether it is the Vikings or Steelers, might be willing to pay down roughly $10 million,” Schefter reported. Obviously, that’s way lower than the sum the Falcons are looking for. But there’s a twist. Schefter also added, “How much any team would be willing to pay also would influence the compensation it gives up.” This means the more the Vikings or the Steelers pay, the less compensation they would have to bear. And vice versa.
So, it’s safe to say the Vikings are still unsure with McCarthy as their starter. Given there’s a hiccup, they would like Cousins to take over and steer till the end of the season. But considering how he led the league last year in fumbles (13) and interceptions (16). Vikings’ interest in Cousins is definitely interesting.
The post $10M Vikings Star’s Alarming Message to J.J. McCarthy & Co. As Kevin O’Connell Wants Kirk Cousins Trade appeared first on EssentiallySports.
