Minnesota Vikings followers understandably had been crushed to study in August that promising rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the tenth total decide of the 2024 NFL Draft, could be sidelined indefinitely after he underwent a full meniscus restore.
Teammates are warning the remainder of the NFL forward of Minnesota’s regular-season opener on the New York Giants this Sunday to not take present Vikings QB1 Sam Darnold flippantly.
“I really feel like he will show lots of people improper and present who he actually is as a quarterback with this chance,” Vikings operating again Aaron Jones lately mentioned about Darnold, as shared by Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “Any of my quarterbacks that I’ve had, they’ve a clear slate. It is about proving your self and what you are able to do now. It is not about what you’ve got accomplished previously. It is about now. So I really do consider in him.”
Darnold entered the NFL because the third total number of the 2018 draft however did not cement himself as a long-term reply on the place throughout stints with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers earlier than he landed with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2023.
Whereas he spent the majority of final season serving as a backup for Brock Purdy, Darnold impressed individuals throughout the Vikings with how he carried out throughout a garbage-time look in San Francisco’s 33-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas evening.
It was widely believed even earlier than McCarthy suffered his damage that Darnold would get the nod for the Giants sport. Jones appears simply superb with Darnold main the troops into MetLife Stadium, the place the 27-year-old used to play house video games as a member of the Jets, this weekend.
“We have gotten an opportunity to work with him, play with him, and he is a particular expertise. … Lots of people are sleeping on him,” Jones added about Darnold. “Early favourite for comeback (participant) of the yr.”
For what it is value, the Related Press clarified in June that the Comeback Participant of the Yr Award is supposed “to honor a participant who has demonstrated resilience within the face of adversity by overcoming sickness, bodily damage or different circumstances that led him to overlook taking part in time the earlier season.” As of late Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Darnold tied for fifth among the many betting favorites at +1200 odds to assert CPOTY Award honors this season.
At that very same time, DraftKings Sportsbook had Minnesota as a 1.5-point favourite for Sunday’s showdown with Huge Blue.