In 2018 it was the Los Angeles Rams, in 2021 it was the Cincinnati Bengals, and so far this season, it’s the Minnesota Vikings.

Now, that’s not to say that Minnesota is headed to the Super Bowl, especially since we’re only six weeks into the season, but there’s no denying that the Vikings came out of absolutely nowhere. 

So why not take a closer look at the 2024 Minnesota Vikings: How did they get here, and where could they go?

Looking Toward the Future

By the end of their 2023 season, the Vikings were 7-10 and they finished 3rd in their division. Now that’s not too bad, until you remember that they finished the previous season with a record of 13-4. If nothing else, last year served as a wake up call for the franchise, and it didn’t take them long to realize that it was time to start looking toward the future. 

This began with letting quarterback Kirk Cousins go to Atlanta in free agency. Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 8 of 2023, which effectively marked the beginning of the end for Minnesota’s season. Between what it would cost to re-sign him, and his risk of reinjury at this point in his career, the Vikings couldn’t justify keeping the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback around any longer. 

New Additions

Throughout the offseason, Minnesota made sure to address the linebacker position, and although they took a big hit with the departure of Danielle Hunter, they were able to come to terms with Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel and Blake Cashman. To take it one step further, the Vikings also drafted Dallas Turner, the exciting outside linebacker out of Alabama, 17th overall in the draft. Additionally, defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard was brought on to add a reliable veteran presence to the defensive front, and former Packers running back Aaron Jones was signed to satisfy the need for a true RB1.

While they still had other issues to tend to, Cousins’ absence meant that Minnesota’s biggest offseason priority would be finding their future franchise quarterback. They liked the potential that they saw in Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy, and moved up one spot to take him 10th overall in the draft. The Vikings also agreed to terms with former 49ers backup quarterback Sam Darnold, a serviceable starter that would hopefully be able to help in transition by taking some pressure off of the young rookie. Darnold was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft, but he’s had trouble finding his footing in the league thus far, after short stints with the Jets, Panthers, and 49ers. 

Injury Woes

Unfortunately for the purple and gold, Cousins was not the only key contributor placed on IR last year. Familiar names like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Hicks, and Marcus Davenport also accompanied him on the sidelines during a grueling season that was plagued by countless injuries. To make matters worse, that trend seemed to continue heading into this season, with cornerback Mekhi Blackmon joining tight end T.J. Hockenson on the IR, after both players suffered a torn ACL.

Once the preseason had finally rolled around, the last thing Vikings fans wanted to see was another serious injury, but that’s when tragedy struck yet again. After a solid NFL debut in Minnesota’s preseason opener, McCarthy began to experience soreness in his right knee. Further testing revealed that he had torn his meniscus, which would require surgery and keep him out through the entire season. For the second year in a row, the Vikings’ season was completely up in the air after a devastating injury, and this time the regular season hadn’t even started yet. 

All of a sudden, everything was in the hands of Sam Darnold. 

Next Man Up

Bust. 

It’s a term we hear frequently in the NFL, but what does it really mean? The answer would probably differ depending on who you ask, but the definition that most people would come up with goes something along the lines of this: “a player who was drafted on Day 1 of the NFL draft, usually in the first round, who has failed to live up to their expectations.” It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot, too much really, and often too early, but at the end of the day, it can still be used to accurately describe the careers of so many who have stepped foot in this league. However, over the past six years, not many players have received this title more than Sam Darnold. 

Throughout his NFL tenure so far, Darnold has always shown flashes of the talent that got him drafted third overall, but those flashes were repeatedly followed by poor decisions and even worse execution. To be fair, during his five seasons with the Jets and Panthers, he didn’t exactly have the best supporting cast, something which immediately improved once he signed with the Vikings. Heading into Week 1, the intended bridge quarterback looked to capitalize on what could very well be his last real shot as a starter in the NFL. 

The Season So Far

The first game of Minnesota’s regular season was set in MetLife Stadium, right where Darnold’s NFL career first began, and it couldn’t have gone much better. The Vikings walked all over the Giants in their home stadium, and came out on top with a final score of 28-6. New additions were the theme of this one, as two touchdown passes from Darnold and a pick-six from Andrew Van Ginkel helped Minnesota to hit the ground running. 

Contrary to what most expected, the Vikings didn’t show any signs of slowing down the following week against San Francisco either. They beat the 49ers 23-17, and Darnold had another solid outing. Minnesota’s offseason signings continued to be a huge factor as Blake Cashman and Van Ginkel combined for 17 total tackles, 2 sacks, and 3 tackles for loss. 

If Week 2 didn’t already prove the Vikings’ legitimacy, Week 3 most certainly did, after a 34-7 statement win over the Texans. Darnold matched his career high with four touchdown passes, the Minnesota defense intercepted C.J. Stroud twice, and Jonathan Greenard recorded three sacks and three tackles for loss. All eyes were on the undefeated Vikings after Week 3. 

Minnesota kept the ball rolling in Week 4 against the Packers in their first division matchup of the season. A dominant first half was followed by a stagnant second half for the Vikings, but they were able to hold their ground at Lambeau Field, and they left with a 31-29 victory. The team that was previously projected by many to finish last in the NFC North advanced to 4-0. 

Defense was the story of Week 5, as the Vikings met Aaron Rodgers and the Jets in London. Minnesota tallied three interceptions against Rodgers, one of which was yet another pick-six for Van Ginkel. Ultimately, a 23-17 final meant that the Vikings were able to keep their win streak alive through Darnold’s only poor performance of the season thus far. They got the job done in London, and now Minnesota could go into an early bye as one of the only two undefeated teams remaining in the league. 

Where Do We Go from Here?

Well, now that we’re all caught up to present day, we can start to surmise what the rest of the Vikings’ season might look like. 

According to tankathon.com, Minnesota has the 12th lowest remaining strength of schedule in the NFL. That’s something that should have Vikings fans excited, especially since they’re in what is arguably the toughest division in the league, and they have only played one of those games so far. If Minnesota can weather the divisional storm coming their way this season, they could have a real chance at surpassing their record of 13-4 from two years ago. 

While it is probably still too early for any talk of the Super Bowl, no one can deny that the Vikings have a strong case to be considered the best team in the NFL right now. Their new leader was labeled as a bust ever since his first year in the league, but now he’s a competitive candidate in the conversation for NFL MVP. So far, Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings have had an answer for every problem that has come their way, and if the rest of their season is anything like the first five weeks, this team will be a true contender for years to come.