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The NFC North was one of the best divisions in football last season. All of the teams were competitive and expected to be solid. Some of the teams were built on defense, others on offense, and some were well-balanced. The problem for many turned out to be injuries, but the Vikings felt like the team that was a piece away from success, despite missing the playoffs.
Last year
The Minnesota Vikings ended up with a winning record, despite having a mixture of players at quarterback. The team will still have some quarterback issues or controversy this season, but we will get to that in a moment. Last year, more than anything, showed people that JJ McCarthy is probably not ready to be a quarterback. The team did win five straight to close the year, and McCarthy was under center for four of those games. However, his passing high for the season was 250 yards. Ultimately, they missed the playoffs, wasting a really good defensive team.
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Offseason additions and subtractions
The major move for the Vikings this offseason was adding Kyler Murray to the roster. He will be the starting quarterback (supposedly). The good news is that if Murray doesn’t work out, or they want to turn to McCarthy, the cost will be really low. Murray is on a veteran minimum contract, and he gets an elite receiver to throw to. He also has a coach who seemingly rejuvenated Sam Darnold’s career. They did have to get rid of a few of their defensive players, so it is very possible their defense takes a step back.
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Roster
Murray, Aaron Jones, and Justin Jefferson give some fairly unique options for the Vikings. Murray still can scramble, and if head coach Kevin O’Connell can unlock the flashes of potential he’s shown, the Vikings could be a good offensive club. Jordan Addison is a good second receiver, and Jauan Jennings as a third option provides more than enough weapons. That doesn’t mention TJ Hockenson, who can be a solid tight end for the team. The Vikings have a top-10 offensive line as well, so there should be time for Murray to get the ball to the receivers. On defense, the team will probably take a bit of a step back. However, the team is still ranked eighth in the league after the draft according to Bleacher Report. Brian Flores is a very good defensive coordinator, so I really don’t see it being a major drop-off.
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Betting Outlook
I think the Vikings will win 10 or more games this season. At +160 for over 9.5, I’ll take the move. This is mostly a bet on some things like O’Connell getting Murray to be a good quarterback. It also is a bet that Flores makes his defense work even with the changes. Injuries can derail anything, but a team that won nine games last year with no quarterback should be better with Murray or even a second year of McCarthy under center.
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