Vikings preview: Kevin O'Connell must prove he can keep his offense grounded
Offseason moves to retool the interior of the offensive line and add running back Jordan Mason have put the Vikings in a position to run the ball more than they have since O'Connell became coach.
The primary focus for Vikings fans Monday night will be on quarterback J.J. McCarthy as he makes his NFL debut against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The wait to see McCarthy began in April 2024 when he became the first quarterback taken by the Vikings with a Top 10 draft pick and continued all of last season as he sat out because of a knee injury.
But if the Vikings are going to beat the Bears in their opener, McCarthy should be only a part of the discussion. Equally as important to coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense will be what the team accomplishes with its revamped run game.
The Vikings signed center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries as free agents from the Indianapolis Colts in March, and then selected left guard Donovan Jackson with the 24th pick in the first round of the draft. Running back Jordan Mason was acquired from the San Francisco 49ers to pair with veteran Aaron Jones.
Revamping the interior of the offensive line became the Vikings’ mission after quarterback Sam Darnold was sacked nine times in a 27-9 playoff loss last January to the Los Angeles Rams. But the moves to replace guards Blake Brandel and Dalton Risner and center Garrett Bradbury also had plenty to do with being able to establish and stick with the run.
All that’s left is for O’Connell to resist the temptation to have McCarthy throw the ball when he should keep it on the ground. In a season that begins with many unknowns, this is one of the biggest. Can a play caller who loves to pass change his approach?
O’Connell did pivot a bit in his third season as the Vikings tied for 14th in the NFL with 457 rushing attempts in 2024. They had 404 rushing attempts (tied for 27th) in 2022 and 393 attempts (tied for 28th) in 2023. The Vikings expected points added (EPA) per rush in those three years weren’t impressive, ranking 29th, 25th and 22nd.
Signing Jones in 2024 was a step in the right direction, but more had to be done with the 22-year-old McCarthy assuming the starting role.
Mason will provide a complement to Jones that had been missing. Jones, 30, is listed at 5-foot-10, 208 pounds and is a sleek running back who can catch the ball and make defenders miss. While he played in all 17 games last season, Jones did get beat up and had to come out a few times because of injury. He had a career-high 255 rushing attempts and finished seventh in the NFL with 306 touches.