3 questions Minnesota Vikings need to answer in preseason game vs. Cleveland Browns
The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Cleveland Browns on Saturday afternoon. They had two contentious days of joint practices that resulted in more than a few injuries. Thankfully, nobody other than quarterback J.J. McCarthy will miss a substantial amount of time. Joint practices told us a good amount about the Vikings in their […]
The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Cleveland Browns on Saturday afternoon. They had two contentious days of joint practices that resulted in more than a few injuries. Thankfully, nobody other than quarterback J.J. McCarthy will miss a substantial amount of time.
Joint practices told us a good amount about the Vikings in their current form. Quarterback Sam Darnold struggled on Wednesday but was much better on Thursday and the defense was thriving the entirety of practice.
What are the biggest questions the Vikings need to answer on Saturday afternoon?
Are the Vikings comfortable with Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall?
We know that McCarthy is out for the season, but he was primed to be the second-string quarterback. The Vikings do have both Mullens and Hall on the roster, but are they enough for the team to be comfortable?
Mullens hasn't gotten many reps and didn't play in the first preseason game by design. He doesn't need the reps right now because of his experience in the offense. Mullens is going to get them now with the injury to McCarthy.
Hall on the other hand hasn't inspired any confidence that he's taken a positive step forward. Despite leading the Vikings on a drive into field goal range for Will Reichard to kick the game-winner. Has he regressed to a point where the Vikings can't roster him or is there more to his game? This is a pivotal game for Hall's future with the Vikings.
Sorting out cornerback depth
The Vikings' cornerback room has so many intriguing players. The only one with certainty at a spot is Byron Murphy Jr. who will be the starter. After that, it's a lot of question marks.
- Shaquill Griffin has been out since the second training camp practice due to a hamstring injury. His fit with this defense is still very much uncertain.
- Akayleb Evans has made some plays during training camp but his performance at the end of the season last year raises a lot of question marks. Is he capable enough to be a main part of the rotation?
- Fabian Moreau got reps with the first team almost immediately when he was signed. Will be be consistent enough to make the team?
- Dwight McGlothern has stood out at times during training camp, including getting some reps with the first team
- Jay Ward has struggled a lot on the outside. Is it time to move him back to safety?
- Nahshon Wright has a long way to go to make the roster after being acquired a week ago in a trade for Andrew Booth Jr.
Running back could be a problem
The Vikings signed Aaron Jones to be their top running back for the 2024 season. He ranked high in multiple underlying metrics but he missed too many games. In his career since 2017, Jones has missed 18 games, including six in 2023. Expecting him to be healthy for all 17 games when he has only played in every game in two of his seasons.
Ty Chandler is developing as a running back but isn't quite ready to carry the load. However, he's ready to be Jones' 1b. His explosiveness is palpable and has been proven during the regular season.
One of the reasons that the position could be an issue is the health of Jones. If he goes down, what does the position end up looking like? Kene Nwangwu found his way into the endzone against the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday but has struggled during his first three years. Myles Gaskin is fine and DeWayne McBride doesn't look like an NFL player. Could they end up getting a veteran in free agency? If the depth players don't show something, it could become a reality.
Kevin O’Connell updates status of multiple injured Vikings, including Jordan Addison
O’Connell had some positive updates on four injured Vikings
