Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t make any guarantees about who will be their quarterback come the fall at a Thursday press conference, but the starter would almost certainly be Sam Darnold if the season started today.
Darnold signed a one-year deal with the team this week and he told reporters at his own press conference that he’s excited about the offensive playmakers he may be working with in Minnesota. He acknowledged that the team may be bringing in other options, including a possible first-round pick, and said that he’ll do his best to make sure he’s the one running the offense regardless of what should happen between now and September.
“No matter what happens I’m going to compete,” Darnold said, via Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press. “Just excited for the opportunity to do that.”
Darnold’s runs as a starter with the Jets and Panthers did not turn out well, so there may not be a lot of confidence about the prospect of everything falling into place for him in Minnesota but it may be his last shot at a first-string job and Darnold seems determined to make the most of it.