Hear Me Out: The Case For Aaron Rodgers In Minnesota
Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
I know, I know. Just the idea of this article enraged you when you clicked, but hear me out.
The Minnesota Vikings checked one big task off their list after giving head coach Kevin O’Connell a well-deserved contract extension. Next up? Figuring out what to do at the quarterback position, balancing the team’s win-now needs with the need to ensure J.J. McCarthy is fully prepared to take over the offense.
Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer broke news over the weekend when he reported the New York Jets are expected to part ways with future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Naturally, the gears started turning in the minds of many… even some folks in Minnesota. As much as some may roll their eyes at the thought of it, yes, Rodgers could make sense for the Vikings.
Think about where Minnesota is at. This isn’t a team coming off a 7-10 campaign like it was entering last season. No, the 2024 Vikings just flipped a double bird to the oddsmakers who set Minnesota’s over/under at 6.5 wins. They blew past that win total by Thanksgiving en route to 14 wins. It doesn’t matter how it ended — Minnesota is close. A case could be made they are a quarterback away from winning the big games.
Sam Darnold had a remarkable season at quarterback that revived his career. The doctors were ready to pull the plug, insisting there was nothing left, but O’Connell’s coaching and culture proved to be a helluva defibrillator.
But as great as 2024 was for Darnold, there’s no sweeping under the rug what happened when the lights got turned to their brightest level. Yes, the offensive line struggled against the Detroit Lions in Week 18 and then against the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs. Still, it was clear that Darnold was lost on the field. Time and again, we saw replays of receivers running free but with Darnold unable to locate them.
Darnold didn’t deserve all of the finger-pointing, but after those two games, you simply have to wonder if the risk is worth it to bring him back on a new deal.
Speaking of risk, let’s circle back to Rodgers.
The Jets were an eyesore this season after entering the season with high expectations. It’s easy to conclude that the Jets falling flat on their faces meant that Rodgers was terrible.
He wasn’t.
Sure, the numbers weren’t the vintage, MVP-level stats we’d become accustomed to seeing. Still, Rodgers finished with a decent 3,897 passing yards (eighth in the NFL) and 28 touchdowns (tied for seventh), showing he still has more than enough gas in the tank, even at the ripe old age of 41.
The question is, would Rodgers be an upgrade from Darnold, and does he fit Minnesota’s timeline?
It’s hard to argue that Darnold is a clear-cut choice over Rodgers in the biggest moments and biggest games. Not after Week 18 and the playoffs. Say what you want about Rodgers, but he’s still got a winning record in the postseason and a ring. That has to come with some level of trust, even at this stage in his career.
As for the timeline, McCarthy was a first-round pick, and at some point, the keys to the car will be handed over to the Michigan product. But let’s not forget that McCarthy is coming off a serious injury, and had a setback in his recovery with a second surgery in November. Sure, he might have spent time with the playbook, but most of his rookie season was focused on rehab and recovery. Why not steal a page from the Green Bay Packers’ playbook with the draft-and-sit-behind-a-HOFer route at quarterback?
All signs point towards McCarthy being ready for the start of the 2025 season, but there’s no need to rush it if there’s an avenue to bring in Rodgers for a season or two on a not-so-expensive deal and let McCarthy learn. Rodgers could be the perfect bridge. And if it goes south, they can dump Rodgers, and at least the fans would be primed to take the team’s side.
On the flip side of the coin, while O’Connell’s job security probably wouldn’t be threatened by a Rodgers Experiment, his culture might. The good vibes could be drowned out by a mercurial superstar like Rodgers. Despite his greatness, there’s no ignoring the chokehold the stubborn Rodgers can have on a franchise. Would Rodgers be receptive to running O’Connell’s scheme to a tee, or would he force in his own ideas and thoughts, even if it hurts the offense or divides the locker room over whether the moon landing was real?
For those who don’t want anything to do with Rodgers in the Twin Cities, that’s understandable. Still, there’s no denying the upside. The Vikings are close to being a contender and have an opportunity to bring in a four-time MVP and Super Bowl winner to get them over the hump. And whether it goes as well as Randall Cunningham and Brett Favre’s first years in Minnesota, or as poorly as their second seasons, McCarthy is waiting in the wings to take over. There’s a considerable risk, but the reward could be the Lombardi Trophy.
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