Sam Darnold’s new teammates believe

Sam Darnold’s new teammates believe

Sam Darnold
Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings open their season on Sunday against the New York Giants. Although the Purple Ones are the favorites this week, few national analysts give them much of a chance this season. That’s largely a reflection of their confidence in Sam Darnold. The caveat is that no one has ever seen Sam Darnold in this kind of situation.

If the Minnesota Vikings are going to be competitive in 2024, it will be because of Sam Darnold. While there are plenty of doubters about Darnold, his current teammates aren’t one of them. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert found that out firsthand when he tapped Vikings players to get their initial reactions to the Vikings’ new QB1.

Vikings players already showing confidence in Sam Darnold

Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said he “came out and was able to throw the ball really well.” Defensive coordinator Brian Flores is also impressed. Wide receiver Brandon Powell called Darnold a “gunslinger” and said: “He’s got a little bit of bite on that ball.”

Another new Viking, running back Aaron Jones, took his praise for Sam to the next level, naming him an early candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year award.

“I feel like with this opportunity, he’s going to prove a lot of people wrong and show who he really is as a quarterback. All my quarterbacks that I’ve had, they’ve had a clean slate. It’s about proving yourself and what you can do now. It’s not about what you’ve done in the past. It’s about now. So I really believe in him. We’ve had the opportunity to work with him, play with him, and he’s a special talent. A lot of people are sleeping on him. Early favorite for comeback (player) of the year.”

Aaron Jones on Sam Darnold (ESPN)

Sure, Joe Flacco ruined any real chance for Darnold to be the comeback player of the year, but his resurgence could be like Baker Mayfield’s. For the first time in his career, Darnold is in a great position to show what his peak potential looks like.

The Vikings defense has been impressed with Sam’s process during training camp. Remember, he’s seen more exotic schemes and blitz packages every day in practice, opposite Brian Flores, than he’ll see on most weekends.

“We give a lot of different looks. And I see the mental gymnastics that he’s constantly working on, and when he’s mad at himself when he makes a bad guess to try to see where we’re at and give his offense the best checks possible. We’re throwing everything we’ve got at him, so just to see him answer that bell, game after game, period after period, practice after practice, has been good. We might get him one time, but he’ll get us the next time. I think that’s cool to see.”

Harrison Phillips on Sam Darnold (ESPN)

Related: 2-time NFL MVP sets Sam Darnold up for a big week…

It’s going to take seeing it for people outside the organization to believe it. The premise behind Darnold’s success isn’t hard to understand. The execution is what every national analyst is looking for, and it all starts on Sunday.

How much better are the Minnesota Vikings for Darnold?

Any time you can throw to the best wide receiver in the league, you’re in great position. The Minnesota Vikings also have an established offensive line, and Sam Darnold also gets Jordan Addison. Throw Aaron Jones behind him and it’s easy to see why the playmakers are exciting.

It’s even more shocking when you consider what he had to work with before. Darnold won the first game of his career despite the Jets’ skill position players being absolutely brutal.

  • RB Isaiah Crowell
  • RB Bilal Powell
  • RB Trenton Cannon
  • WR Quincy Enunwa
  • WR Terrelle Pryor
  • WR Neal Sterling
  • TE Eric Tomlinson

After burning out in New York and signing with the Panthers, Darnold won his first game there too. Coincidentally, it was against the Jets. That lineup was better. However, the organizational structure was just as bad.

  • RB Christian McCaffrey
  • WR DJ Moore
  • WR Robbie Anderson
  • WR Terrence Marshall Jr.
  • TE Ian Thomas

Neither situation compares to what he experienced with the Vikings. Darnold himself has experienced a significant amount of maturity as well. His growth through those two tumultuous stops is something that has helped him become the player he can be today. Alec Lewis of The Athletic recently touched on just how important that is.

“This is how it would end if it were a Disney movie: with Darnold finally taking a sip of the perfect coaching cocktail, and the whole world understanding the recipe.”

Alec Lewis on Sam Darnold Writing a Fairytale Ending (The Athletic)

Related: 4 Bold Predictions for the Minnesota Vikings’ Season Opener Against the Giants

We’ll soon find out what the Vikings coaching cocktail looks like for Darnold. We’ll also see how much all of those hypotheses really matter. If this is a ride Darnold is going to take with a Vikings team he believes in, it should be a fun ride.

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