The Minnesota Vikings finished the preseason with a 3-0 record after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 26-3. They dominated the game from start to finish led by quarterback Jaren Hall, who threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns.
It wasn't the first preseason domination for the Vikings, they dominated the final 10 quarters of the preseason, outscoring their opponents 70-18 over that span. The performances came from everywhere starting with Hall and Trishton Jackson on offense and Dwight McGlothern and Levi Drake Rodriguez on defense.
The preseason showed us that multiple Vikings are primed for big seasons in 2024.
QB Sam Darnold
We know that Darnold isn't going to be the quarterback of the future. Well, that is, unless he balls out like crazy and creates a 2004 Drew Brees with the San Diego Chargers situation. What this offseason showed us is that the offense is both quarterback proof and Darnold is a great fit for what Kevin O'Connell wants to do.
Darnold only got one series in the preseason but it was enough to make an impact. He only went 4-for-8 for 54 yards but two of those incompletions were drops. It was how Darnold hit Jalen Nailor on a dig route with anticipation across the middle. That is going to translate right away.
WR Jalen Nailor
The wide receiver position is really interesting to break down for the Vikings. They have the best in the game in Justin Jefferson and an emerging star in Jordan Addison. After that, it's a glut of talented guys who are primed to be WR4-6. Nailor showed the ability to take a leap forward.
It wasn't just in the preseason games, Nailor was thriving all throughout training camp. He was creating separation with ease and making plays all over the field. A sixth-round pick out of Michigan State, injuries have been the biggest hindrance to his ascension. So far, Nailor has stayed healthy and staying that way will be the most important thing for him.
ILB Ivan Pace Jr.
The Vikings have put a large emphasis on the undrafted free-agent process over the last two seasons. One of the reasons for that is to take advantage of an imperfect process. The traditional scouting process is to watch the film and use standard measurements of athleticism like the vertical jump and three-cone drill.
One of the things that the Vikings have done is prioritize players who may not test the best but have excellent GPS data that show their athleticism. I spoke with Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus earlier this year about the UDFA class from 2024 and he gave me some interesting information about the Game Athletic Score metric from PFF. It's derived from GPS data and multiple Vikings had impressive scores.
- TE Trey Knox: 94th percentile
- OLB Bo Richter: 99th percentile
- CB Dwight McGlothern: 92nd percentile
- WR Jeshaun Jones: 81st percentile
All of this is essentially background as to why Pace is ready to take the next step. He was excellent as a rookie stepping up in a starting role, showing he can do more than just rush the passer. Pace has even earned the green dot this season. He's primed to be a breakout player for the Vikings this season, especially with Blake Cashman next to him.
