The mood of the Minnesota Vikings’ first training camp practice was soured by news that third-year cornerback Mekhi Blackmon suffered a torn ACL. The day still had high points, most notably the connection between Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson.
Darnold found Jefferson for a deep strike, drawing praise from Vikings media and a highlight.
“Sam Darnold just hit Justin Jefferson in stride on a post for a 50ish yard TD in team drills ESPN’s Kevin Seifert posted on X on July 24. “Jefferson was PUMPED. It as the kind of throw you don’t see every QB make.”
Jefferson, the Vikings’ three-time Pro Bowler, spoke to the media after the game and commented on Darnold’s arm strength.
“It’s going great,” Jefferson told reporters about his chemistry with Darnold on July 24. “All of the quarterbacks are doing great. J.J. [McCarthy] is coming along with him learning the playbook and him just getting comfortable with being out there. Sam has been throwing bombs today and he’s been looking great as well.
“I’m excited to see what all of the quarterbacks have during the training camp and see who we going to go with.”
Kevin O’Connell: Sam Darnold’s ‘Best Football is Ahead of Him
Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Vikings in free agency. The journeyman has been a starter twice before with the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets. He spent the 2023 season backing up Brock Purdy with the San Francisco 49ers.
He has already drawn the praise and support from Head Coach Kevin O’Connell.
“I think his best football is ahead of him because how he’s handled the last couple years,” O’Connell told the panel on “The Insiders” on March 25, I’m excited to get going with Sam because I think we can pick up where he left off last year. … I think it’s going to be a really really positive situation for Sam.”
Darnold will receive the bulk of the carries in Vikings training camp over McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 draft.
McCarthy will see plenty of playing time in the preseason.
Vikings Should Tread Carefully With Sam Darnold
Darnold has drawn positive reviews going back to spring workouts. However, the Vikings have to tread carefully with him as QB1. The former No. 3 overall pick of the 2018 draft, Darnold has a 21-34 career record as a starter with the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets.
Darnold did close his Panthers tenure by going 4-2 down the stretch in 2022. However, his offseason and even preseason work has been fool’s gold, which the Vikings have to be wary of.
“He is going to look good, this is something he has done his entire career. When it’s the spring, when it’s the preseason or when he has been unbothered he has looked excellent,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on the May 23 episode of “The Insiders”. “It’s really a matter of when he gets in games, is he the same quarterback when it doesn’t all go perfectly?”
The Vikings will not learn that answer until Week 1 of the 2024 season at the earliest.
