It’s no shock that journeyman quarterback Josh Dobbs re-entered the ambiance. Gamers are backups for a cause, and it was solely a matter of time earlier than Dobbs reminded of us why he was out there a number of occasions this season. What’s a shock about this present predicament is after the Vikings used property for the short-term loaner, coach Kevin O’Connell is already non-committal after three begins.
That in all probability says extra about Minnesota GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah than O’Connell, however let’s keep on with the coach for a tick.
With All-Professional receiver Jordan Jefferson set to return after the bye week, O’Connell mentioned who begins beneath middle will depend on their means to maximise Jefferson.
“Justin’s role in our offense, really from Day 1 since we arrived here, has always been very, very significant,” O’Connell mentioned. “Anytime you can infuse the best receiver in football back into your offense, there’s going to be ways to not only get Justin going and make sure he has a critical impact on the football game … [and] the quarterback position absolutely plays into that.
“We’re going to make sure that whoever is playing quarterback is aware and understands the intent behind plays where either Justin is the primary [target], or based upon coverage, based upon the defensive look, how to quickly and efficiently get to the right place to go with the football. In the end that’s what the NFL passing game is about: rhythm, timing, understanding that the defense can and will take some things away, but progressing in rhythm.”
Even with context, it’s exhausting to inform what the hell O’Connell is doing. The second-year head coach’s follow-up to his inaugural marketing campaign wasn’t going nicely even earlier than Kirk Cousins’ season-ending achilles harm, and now it’s in jeopardy of going off the rails utterly.
Fellow backup QBs Nick Mullens and Jaren Corridor will be a part of Jefferson in getting back from harm after the off week, but there’s no means of figuring out which sign caller can maximize the star receiver, as a result of nobody’s thrown him a cross. It appears like O’Connell rattled off a bunch of soccer buzzwords to sound sensible.
Often, soundbytes like that precede an extremely silly choice, so let’s see the way it pans out. You’d assume a coach would begin the QB who offers them one of the best probability to win, and although that particular person won’t be what’s finest for Jefferson’s statline, profitable is what’s finest for the crew, proper?
Whereas rather a lot has been made (by Jefferson) about his contract extension, would the crew actually contort its strategy simply to maintain him pleased going into negotiations? That feels extreme.
The underlying difficulty in Minnesota is that Adofo-Mensah has been making an attempt to jettison Cousins by attrition since arriving within the Twin Cities. Earlier than the 12 months, I wrote that the GM rigged this roster to be utterly depending on Cousins; that’s why he let Dalvin Cook dinner go and drafted Jordan Addisson. Nicely, the harm to the crew’s beginning QB prevented that plan from coming to fruition this season and probably set it again indefinitely.
The previous two weeks reminded Skol followers that you are able to do rather a lot worse than Captain Kirk, so I’m undecided what Adofo-Mansah’s thought course of was when he traded for Dobbs. Was it to point out critics that Cousins was holding again the crew ? Dobbs did lead the Vikes to wins in his first two appearances earlier than imploding in an explosion of turnovers.
Or did the GM assume a playoff run was nonetheless potential even with out Cousins? If that had been true, then why neglect to bolster, and even keep, the operating sport within the offseason? The protection is way improved over 2022 and proof that a few of Adofo-Mensah’s strikes labored, however I’m so confused by what’s happening in Minnesota.
Contemplating the various questions awaiting this franchise following the season — that is Cousins final 12 months beneath contract, and I’m undecided Jefferson reveals up with no new one — some semblance of a plan could be preferable.
