Do the Minnesota Vikings Care if They’re Competitive in 2024?

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NFL: Minnesota Vikings at Las Vegas Raiders
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsCredit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Fast forward from when Minnesota Vikings’ general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah took over the team in 2022, to where the team is at today. It’s completely different. Adofo-Mensah has transformed this roster from purging long-time veterans, getting younger, bringing in cost-friendly free agents with potential upside, and getting the organization more financially stable.

Not only does the team look completely different, but the Vikings may have had their biggest offseason in franchise history. Despite a revamped roster that is filled with young talent, there’s many national and local media members questioning whether the Minnesota Vikings are going to be competitive in 2024. One local media member thinks the team is punting on the 2024 season.

Local writer believes the Minnesota Vikings “don’t really care if they win this year”

According to Michael Rand (Star Tribune – Access Vikings), he believes the Minnesota Vikings “don’t really care if they win in 2024” and that their focus is shifted to 2025 and beyond. He goes on further to state that a top-10 draft pick could be extremely beneficial for the organization where they could potentially add a top cornerback or defensive lineman.

Like, if they’re being honest, they don’t really care if they win this year. Right? Don’t you think? Like, they want to win this year, but they’ve bought themselves some time by drafting the rookie QB. If McCarthy’s not ready, but Darnold isn’t very good, they can just play Mullens, it would not be the worst thing in the world for them to go 5-12 and have another top 10 drafting. It would slow their momentum a little bit or whatever the kind of trajectory they want to be on, but it’s not about this year. It really isn’t.

Michael Rand (Star Tribune – Access Vikings)

Related: Has Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Opened a Super Bowl Window for the Vikings?

Whether or not Rand truly believes this, it’s hard to imagine head coach Kevin O’Connell and competitive players such as Justin Jefferson not caring about a season. This quote from O’Connell last season, after starting the season 0-3 and losing both Justin Jefferson and Kirk Cousins to injury for an extended period of time, is exactly why this team won’t just throw a season away before it’s even begun.

The Minnesota Vikings are built from the inside out to do everything possible to win games. Day in, day out, every practice, every meeting, every rep, etc. Everything they do is built around winning.

You know, adversity, truly, if you look at it as an opportunity and you have your football team all looking inward and trying to be the best versions of themselves for that greater good of trying to accomplish something special, I am of the belief that we can continue to go out and write our own story. And we’re holding the pen. There’s a lot of challenges out in front of us. We got to laser our focus like we’ve done each opportunity, each day, each meeting, each walkthrough, each practice. And when you do it the way these guys have, and you got the leadership we do, my expectation is things will continue to be, you know, what we’ve been.

Kevin O’Connell (via Purple Insider)

The Sportsbooks aren’t very high on the Minnesota Vikings’ 2024 season too

Although Rand seems to be down on the Minnesota Vikings’ 2024 season, the Sportsbooks also seem to think they won’t be very good. Back in March, before the 2024 NFL Draft, most Sportsbooks had the Vikings’ over / under win total set at 6.5.

Well, it’s been a few months since the draft and most of these Sportsbooks still have the Vikings winning only six or 7 games this season. This is last among the teams within the NFC North and tied for second worst in the NFC, behind only the Carolina Panthers at a projected 5.5 wins.

Related: Are Vikings Intentionally Hiding J.J. McCarthy from Fans and Media?

At this point of the offseason, it’s understandable why the Sportsbooks and media think the Minnesota Vikings’ won’t be any good in 2024 and that their focus is on 2025 and beyond. They have an unknown at quarterback, the most important position in football, and several new starting faces on the defensive side of the ball. One thing is for certain though, this team won’t just quit on a season.

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