Purple Insider - a Minnesota Vikings and NFL podcast - Breaking down KOC's comments on J.J. McCarthy, draft

Episode Date: April 21, 2025

Matthew Coller is joined by Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press to react to Kevin O'Connell's comments on QB J.J. McCarthy and the upcoming draft.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey everybody, welcome inside TCO Performance Center. Matthew Coller here along with Dane Mizzitani of the Pioneer Press and we just finished up four press conferences with Kevin O'Connell, Aaron Jones, Byron Murphy Jr. and Harrison Smith. So here's what we're going to do. We're going to tell you what they said and what we think of it's crazy concept But it was actually a really fun day here at TCO Performance Center because you're talking to Three guys who chose to come back to the Vikings and a head coach who's ready to add a new football player or four?

Or more than four to his team, which you know, I'm sure that Kevin O'Connell's excited to do that. So why don't we start out with the takeaways from Kevin O'Connell? And since I have all of my notes on my phone, I'm going to read them off my phone. Let us begin with J.J. McCarthy and what Kevin O'Connell had to say about McCarthy. The biggest thing that stands out is, I guess I would say the news item. And that is that he will have no limitations going into the offseason program. So what else stood out to you about what Kevin O'Connell said about JJ McCarthy?

Yeah, I think that's obviously like the headline is that no limitations for JJ McCarthy. That's great. But the thing that I think stood out is the way he kind of talked about how he's approached his rehab, specifically with the amount he is throwing in that rehab. I think, and I won't be able to give the quote verbatim, but it was essentially whenever they get back on the field, the Vikings. J.J. McCarthy might not throw in one practice or one workout session as many passes as he's throwing regularly during his rehab sessions. Which is great. That means his arm is ready. He's kind of ready to, I think Kevin O'Connell phrased it, to hit the

ground running. And then when you couple that in with the fact that now he has no limitations, he should be able to just kind of take what he had last year and apply it to this year and kind of start to move this path forward. I know he's not QB one technically I don't know when we're ever going to hear is he QB one? Yes I'm not sure that comes in training camp that might not come to week one But effectively he is the number one quarterback on the depth chart effectively He's the guy especially because the only other quarterback on the roster is Brett Rippon right now.

And I know we love to praise Brett Rippon, but he's not beating J.J. McCarthy out for the job. So when you take everything that kind of has been his rehab, the way he's applied himself to it, the way he's really dug in, and you you hear Kevin O'Connell say he's throwing this many times we like where he's at there he made it clear that he has not seen him throw because technically right now you're not allowed to and I think every time we talked to Kevin O'Connell about J.J. McCarthy he's like yeah he looks good well he looks good from what I've heard I haven't seen

him throw but but in all seriousness I think it is a good thing that he's throwing a lot and it had to be asked, but he is not going to have any limitations. JJ McCarthy told Kay Adams a couple months ago, maybe a month ago at the golf tournament in Mexico that he's 100%. He's 100%. That's what we have to go off of right now.

And the workouts are starting. He's in the building. We're in phase one. I think Kevin O'Connell told us at the owners meetings that phase one is going to be almost like, hey, we've got to dial you back, JJ. You're not throwing a million passes right off the bat. But he's ready to go. And that's a good thing for the Vikings. It most certainly is. And it really represents also the major difference between what he dealt with last year versus this year, because at this time last year, he was waiting to have his name called and he didn't know what franchise he was going to play for. And of course, you know,

Connell may have snuck him a Microsoft Surface or whatever they're using that has the Vikings playbook on it, but that's not the same as getting to start the offseason program from day one. And that's why when we say, well, he's essentially a rookie, but not really at all because he's been in this building working specifically toward what the concepts are. And I have some version of the quote that I wrote down, which is the types of throws. He talked about him working through his rehab. And as you said, he would never check the security tapes or maybe walk down and look over and see what he looks like.

Never, never. So I'm not saying he violated any rules, but he said the types of throws that O'Connell has heard that he is doing is the ones that are required for the offense. The rhythm, the timing, the velocity. And so he's been back working out since January. That's a lot of, I'll use a Kirk Cousins phrase, that's a lot of time on task alone in the building. And that's what has really impressed all of us Dane since day one. I don't know how many times I've brought it up, but last year he didn't go anywhere when it came to that time where guys usually go on vacation. And O'Connell was asked about,

well, is there ever a time you tell him to dial it back? And he's like, well, you know, he went golfing for that NFLPA event, but pretty much he's just here doing football all the time. And being a quarterback in the NFL is 365. It is not a position where you could just sort of take it easy sometimes and turn it on when you feel like it. It is you are the quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings. It is your identity. And I think that he really has taken that to heart.

And even something Harrison Smith said about him, he said that he's enjoyed being around him, but he doesn't act his age. And that's been something else that we've identified on him from early on, is that he doesn't act like he's a 22-year-old. He acts like he's a veteran quarterback for his work ethic and how he approaches it. And I think Kevin O'Connell just sort of confirmed that in his working out, getting ready for the offseason phase,

he has really implemented the key parts of the Kevin O'Connell offense that he already knew and already has a feel for and is getting those back. So I don't have crazy expectations for what we're gonna see in OTAs. I know it's gonna be a huge podcast we're gonna do in here and everyone's gonna want to know how's JJ look. I assume there's some rust to shake off but he's had now what is this five months to work at it and be ready for the offseason phase to take over his QB one yeah and while it's going to definitely be overstated by us on this pod by whoever writes about it his first practice or his first workout we're gonna take a

lot of stock into that and truthfully we probably have to pump the brakes and realize this is kind of a very small slice of the pie compared to where they're going to be in July. I'm pumped for it because I really want to just get to a point where we can talk about what we're seeing out of JJ McCarthy on the field, because right now it's really just kind of existed in the abstract. It's like, remember that pre-season game in August 2024? Remember how, you know, he spoke to us at his locker

in September 2024? That's the last time we talked to him was in front of his locker when he was on a little scooter. Like he's bopped around the facility at times. You've seen him in passing. You've seen him interact with his teammates. But I'm just excited to go out there and see him throw a football with the backdrop and understanding that what it looks like in April and May is not what it's going to look like in July, August and September during week one.

All that being said though, this is a big moment, a big step forward in not only his quarterback journey, but just what is this entire encapsulation of the rehab process. He seems to be at the end of it. He's at 100%, he has no limitations. But let's see him throw a football. Let's see like the actual physical turning of the page when he lets that ball rip and we all remember,

huh, there's a reason he went number 10 in the draft. There is a reason people thought he was going to challenge Sam Darnold for the job week one of last season. Like all of those things I think we kind of deep down know based on seeing it last summer. But I'm excited to kind of feel those things again come workouts here in a couple weeks, a few weeks from now. I was trying to remember what the quote was about the backup quarterback situation, but since I don't really care, my brain must have shut down when that question was asked

They're gonna add somebody right that's that's it. That's basically that's really the takeaway It was just like okay You guys are probably talking about this too much and that has been my opinion as well I just didn't know if anything stuck out to you about what he said because I cared about it so little I didn't even Write it down they have an idea of what they're gonna do. They don want to tell us now. Do we all agree with that? Yeah, I think Effectively today Kevin O'Connell was just like we're gonna add a quarterback and we have a plan and our plan is Going to come to fruition at some point

Please stop talking about the compact formula. I they're going to add a quarterback It's not just gonna be JJ McCarthy.J. McCarthy, Brett Rippon, and whoever they add. I remember we talked at the combine, and I was like, whoever they add is going to be really important. And you were like, no, it's not. It doesn't really matter who they added.

It's J.J. McCarthy's job. That's true. If they really cared, they would have, the difference between a Joe Flacco and a Ryan Tannenhill and maybe a Sam Howell, they would have gone out and striked and found their guy. It doesn't matter and I know it's a fun talking point, but that's why it slipped your brain, it's why I don't really remember the quote either. It's Jajan McCarthy's team, they are going to sign a quarterback.

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and important safety information. Well, and it means absolutely nothing to me that they haven't made some grand announcement that he's QB1. Right. And I think we all have large enough football brains to figure out who the starting quarterback is and when you have the veterans talking about,

yeah, we can't wait to work with JJ McCarthy and he's gonna be our guy we're bringing him along and we lighten all the stuff like yeah this is there's no competition here I don't want there to be I don't want it even to be a fake competition I would prefer to see JJ McCarthy get every single first team rep from day one and be the guy and that will be very obvious that then he is a quarterback number one. So the draft, oh well let me just give you a real quick on the injury stuff. He said that he thinks that Mackay Blackman is very close to the end of his rehab process

so it sounds like he'll be able to just pick up where he left off and Christian Derisaw has quote knocked out of the park his rehab. Now I don't know how many times we've ever heard KOC say someone has been a disaster in their rehab or something like that but normally if there is an issue it will be kind of couched with well he's coming along and we're not trying to put too much pressure on him or something like that. That was how he talked about Hawkinson but it sounds like from his comments that Darasaw is on track and that's something we'll be watching for I'm guessing later in training camp for when Darasaw is ready to go, but we'll see if he's out there for any OTA or mini camp or anything else like that. And

Will Fries is also at the end of his rehab similar sort of situation. Just doesn't sound like there's gonna be too many guys where we're talking a lot about their injury situation outside of Christian Derisaw. So let's move on to what KOC said about the draft. He said, Matthew Coller is right. I'm convinced wide receiver is our guy. Let's freaking go three deep forever. And then he dropped the mic and walked off.

That's how I remember it. But maybe you had a different interpretation. No, I think that was it. No, no, I think while you have convinced me, I don't know if you've convinced them. I don't know that you haven't convinced them. I don't think they're going to take a receiver in the first round. But hearing him talk about the draft, like he referenced the four picks. Did you know they only have four picks did you know they only have four picks yeah they only have they only have four picks I don't know if it's been talked about enough but he referenced the four picks by immediately referencing free agency and I think that kind of speaks to kind of where they're at the

headspace they're in entering this draft, you're almost taking the four picks and making it okay that you only have those because you spent $300 million and you filled all your weaknesses. He basically said, I feel comfortable with where we're at. I don't think when we're on the clock, whenever we pick, we're going to feel the need to take position X, position Y, position Z. And I think that's kind of where we've all landed through free agency is they've done such a phenomenal job addressing these weaknesses. I'm not gonna say that the draft doesn't matter

because it does. That's where you cultivate talent, that's where you build depth, it's where you find stars at times. Even at number 24 you can find stars at times. But I think deep down it probably does weigh on Kevin O'Connell that they only have four picks but I think he's trying to remind himself like we have a roster that seems to be at least on paper locked loaded ready to go and Whenever we pick we're going to add a really good player Potentially a few good players, potentially more than even four players. Maybe they trade back and get more picks,

but the focus, at least in my interpretation of the draft, was like we're excited for it, but remember what we did in free agency because I know a lot of people are going to be talking on Saturday, well they only got this many players. Well, they also added Will Fries, Ryan Kelly, Jayvon Hargrave, Jonathan Allen, you name it, retained Byron Murphy, Aaron Jones, added Jordan Mason, and I think that's kind of where Kevin O'Connell took the draft conversation today. We'll see what he thinks on Thursday and Friday and Saturday when the Lions, Packers, and Bears and everyone else have added more players than they probably have. But I think it's easy to kind of think about your draft capital and put a positive spin

on it when you look at what they've done in free agency as a whole. But it still sounds more like they're just gonna pick where they're at Maybe in the middle of the round. I mean that's just what it sounds like to me when you hear that when you hear like Oh, yeah Well, we scouted a lot of players and we're gonna see them come off the board And they could all just be bluffing and they've got six trade downs that they're ready to do But between what Kevin O'Connell and quasi da-Dalfo-Mensa said, it really doesn't feel like, yeah, we want to accumulate as many picks as possible. A lot of times teams will toss it out there in the media and say, like, yeah, well, we're

open for business. Teams should give us a call. We haven't heard anything like that from them. And again, they could just be playing some sort of game with that and not wanting to show their cards and let everybody know that they want to trade down because there could be some sort of competitive disadvantage there. I really don't know. But there was still the, he said, we don't need to do anything as far as the draft goes because of what they did in free agency. And that's why it makes me think that they have some ideas about who might be there 24 and they might just take

them. Again, could be totally wrong on draft night, depends on who's making the phone calls, trying to get up and things like that. But it does feel like they want a first round draft pick player. And there are some advantages to that, including you get the fifth year option with that guy and that that can be helpful as well. And you're not sacrificing potential talent. And I still, every time I look at it,

I think how does one great player, one great prospect not get there to the Vikings at 24? And because the roster is so full, they may have the thought process of like, let's get one guy who can really be something for us, as opposed to trying to go out and get as many players as possible And they do projections on this stuff, too I mean they're gonna compare what the potential ceiling of the 24th overall pick could be versus the 35th and

number 87 or 94 103 I mean that's another thing is we get caught up a lot of times on well, you can add an extra third. Can we go through the third round picks for the Vikings? Like you got Alexander Madison, you know, Brian awesome while like a lot of times those third round picks and I was just looking at this. I just did a big article on this at purple insider dot football where I called a data scientist and a couple of people in the league and then compared it with what quasi said and a lot of what people came back to was

You know those picks in the middle round sometimes they become Stefan Diggs But a lot of times we overrate them based on what they're actually worth versus the value of getting a star You can get Eric Wilson and free agency to be a backup linebacker for pretty cheap You cannot get Justin Jefferson outside of the first round of the NFL draft or Christian Derisaw or even a Jordan Addison caliber player. So if they see someone like that, then they're going to do it. Now, him saying they don't need anything,

if we took that really truly to heart, they have no need, they could just draft whoever the heck they want. Who would that be for you? Like whose name comes to mind when quasi says essentially paraphrased, we might stick and pick and KOC says, we don't really need anything. Who, who pops into your brain? Luther Burden pops into my brain. It, you convinced me.

We, we, okay, let's, let's go. We're winding the tape back to the owners meetings in Florida me and collar sitting down in this beautiful hotel That neither of us will ever be able to afford to actually stay in or they ever let us but we're sitting in the lobby and I Saw McVeigh probably walked by us, but you were we were talking and you said look at all the receivers that got paid this off season. And the way you compared, you know, either you're going to pay a ton of money for Cooper cup who might be past it, or you're going to overpay for a guy like,

uh, I don't even know what the name you used. Uh, well, I think I said that DK Metcalf, who's like a number two receiver got almost as much as Justin Jefferson. And the other guys. Josh Palmer was the one. That one sold me. He got $10 million.

And Tutu Atwell got $10 million as well. So I kind of qualified them as they're either old and angry that you could get in trades, or you way overpay for a free agent. And even the wide receiver threes you have to give significant money to. That sold me on just draft a receiver if you truly Do not need anything and you don't need anything because going back to free agency you have Knocked that out of the park addressed all your weaknesses

then be the forward-thinking organization that we think you are and Address a need that might come a year or two down the road. Maybe you don't want to pay Jordan Addison his fifth year option. Maybe you don't want to pay Jalen Naylor $12 million to be your wide receiver three next year. Yes, Jalen Naylor is probably going to make in the upwards of over $10 million because he's fast and produced a little bit when Jordan Addison was out last year all of those things and I know People have opinions on Luther Bird and is he a good enough route runner? I? Don't care. He's dynamic with the ball in his hands and he fills a need that this team really needs which is

Quick passes over the middle underneath He can develop his route running. You know you have Justin Jefferson, you have Jordan Addison, he gives you something else and that's kind of where I lean with this is if Luther Burden is there and some people think he is like he appears to be falling at least according to the draft people he's a draft nerds like you call them he appears to be falling now he might go 12 on on Thursday night and then those guys were wrong but if he's there I think the talent that he possesses the scarcity at like high-end talent that the receiver position kind

of has throughout the league you're not to find a guy like that anywhere else but in the first round. Whether that's in the middle, the late, they're obviously not picking in the early stages of the first round now and they hope not anytime in the future. You're not going to find a talent like that anywhere else. So that's where I would go. You've fully convinced me on receivers. I'm not just saying this because we do a pod together and you pay me. You fully convinced me on receivers. I'm not just saying this because we do a pod together and you pay me. Like you have convinced me and it makes sense. Like just think about it. I know people are obsessed with defensive tackle, with safety, with corner. All those there there's arguments to be made. But

you heard Kevin O'Connell say it. They don't need anything right now. So go get something that in a couple of years you might and and maybe this unlocks something else in this offense. I think Luther Burden would do that and I think there's other receivers around that time in the draft if you stick and pick truly at 24 that could offer the same thing. Yeah I mean I'm not against the Bucca either. Yeah I guess I hear defensive tackle when I hear that. We don't need anything because you can rotate a defensive tackle and Quacey said scarcity multiple times last week and defensive tackle and wide receiver to me are the two most scarce positions

Outside of offensive tackle is probably number one where if you sign a mediocre offensive tackle You're paying him a lot of money That the same thing goes for a defensive tackle where even someone like Javon Hargrave is 32 and coming off a pretty serious injury and he still gets $15 million a year. So the same thing applies to that. There are a bevy of good wide receiver prospects who will be available potentially in the third round.

I really like Jaylen Noel from Iowa State as a potential option there and I think that the gap between someone like Burden and Noel might not be as big as what we think but it could be big on the board. So we'll see how that plays out. I mean you don't have to sell me like that's my argument and I've been for it but I tend to hear though I tend to kind of whittle it down a little bit the position I would move away from when you talk about not needing anything, and this will transition us into

what we heard from some players, is the safety position because I think it is a spot where you can find those in free agency, and also, I mean, Harrison Smith is always going to speak well of his teammates. We know that. But I always listen to what levels in which he does that when we ask Him questions just for example a couple years ago I remember asking him about Lewis seen when they drafted him and he was like, I think you're overlooking cambynum and we were like, oh

Okay. Yeah, I mean he's on the team But we didn't know at what he knew which was how good cam't buy them is he didn't just praise Theo Jackson he said the Titans made a mistake letting him go and he also said he's big-time in my opinion I think I'm moving a little bit away in these final days before the draft from the idea of Melchizedek or Nick Emunwari after hearing him talk about Theo Jackson and if that's the way he's talking about him, then you know that's the way Durante Jones and Brian Flores are talking about him as well.

And he said, you know, he gets in there and he makes plays and all those things. And I don't, I mean, somebody does not talk that much about somebody else for no reason. If you asked me about somebody I don't really know or care about, I'd be like, yeah, I mean, they're doing their job out there. But you asked me about Dane don't really know or care about him, be like, yeah, I mean, they're doing their job out there, but you asked me about Dane, I'm gonna talk for hours, right? I mean, I, so I really think that there's

something there with Theo Jackson. We all saw it in training camp. We all saw it in Seattle. We saw it in Philly in 23 when he intercepted a pass, came right in the game, but I get the sense that behind the scenes, Theo Jackson really impresses people. And at that safety position, we know intelligence, work ethic, chemistry, those all are gonna supersede pure athleticism. And that might move me away from the possibility

that they pick Starks and go to those more scarce positions, which is why defensive tackle keeps coming up. But I was, I was kind of floored by the way that Harrison Smith talked about Theo Jackson today. Yeah. Floored because of like how effusive and the praise he was. But then at the same time, like you mentioned, maybe not that floored because you ask anybody on defense about Theo Jackson, screw it.

Anybody on the team It doesn't have to just be defense and you ask an offensive player about Theo Jackson and they all have the same thing to say and it's not like all 53 of these guys got together before the you know last season and said anytime we're asked about Theo Jackson Just rave about him. No, they're they're talking about him for a reason because he consistently makes plays. He consistently makes his presence felt. Harrison Smith said it even in just short snapshot moments throughout the game. He was asked to play in a pinch and he always makes a play. The Seattle game last year,

he goes in, he intercepts the ball, ends the game. So when you take what he said and you kind of compare that to like you talked about the scarcity of positions, safety is not a scarce position. How did they get Theo Jackson? The Tennessee Titans freaking cut him and they claimed him off waivers. Like that is someone you can get later in the draft or on the waiver wire. Cam Bynum was a cornerback and and they drafted him in the draft or on the waiver wire Can buy them was a corner back and and they drafted him in the fourth round and he turned into a really good safety That now makes 15 million dollars a year

We're reading the tea leaves here, but that's what you have to do in the lead-up to draft Scarcity of the position that that quasied off a Mensa talked about last week safety doesn't fit that role now Maybe they will take Malachi Starks and in with the number 24 pick, it'd be a fine pick, but when you listen to what they've said over the last two weeks now when we've now talked to the general manager and the head coach, it does push you probably more towards certain positions and away from others. And if it is Malachi-Starks, it's not like they have to cut Theo Jackson. I mean they find ways to get guys on the field. I just feel like what they've said would move that down for me on the list. I should also

mention corner when they say we don't need to draft anyone. They signed Isaiah Rogers, they brought back a very happy Byron Murphy who we spoke with today who said he didn't want to be anywhere else. I think that's what most people say, but I actually think that's very true, uh, in his case and they don't need one, but they could certainly take Juday Barron if he drops to them or, you know, whatever other corner they like at 24th overall. Uh, and, uh, we should mention that position as well as one where you don't have a specific need now

Going further into what harrison smith had to say Right off the bat. Yeah, I just obvious place to start the press conference. Why are you back here? And he came out and said that It was an easier decision this year than it was in the past Which just natural process you would have thought well, wouldn't it be harder each year to decide to come back? But I think what he was alluding to, and he didn't want to say, I think we can compete for the Super Bowl because he doesn't want to have some sort of big quote that gets out there, but he really alluded to that he likes being here under this environment, is extremely comfortable with it,. Really really appreciates Durante Jones and Brian Flores of course, but Durante Jones I think is more important to him than people maybe understand because even when I was interviewing

him for a different story last year about Flores, he said, hey, don't forget about Durante Jones, the defensive backs coach as being like one of the main central figures to this. I think the environment culture is used all the time, but it matters. Like, do you like showing up to work every day? And I also think that he feels like they can legitimately compete in the playoffs and take another step in the playoffs with this team. And that's why he wanted to come back aside from, you know, the body feeling good and whatever else. But I would have expected him to say, yeah, this

was the hardest yet. And it didn't really feel that way from Harrison Smith. No. And I think the reason, at least I thought it might, it was going to be a really hard decision is because he cried in the locker room after the game. And I get it. It was sad the way that the season just kind of ended. You get your doors blown off against the Los Angeles Rams in the first round,

kind of a jarring way to end what was such a special season. So maybe that's where the emotion came from. And Harrison Smith said it, the emotion also came from this is not gonna be the same team. Like he probably knew deep down, Cam Bynum's probably not gonna be here next year. But I read that emotion, which now turns out to be incorrectly, read that emotion as like, he's really confronting the fact

that this might be it. It wasn't that. He said even in the locker room postgame, he kind of alluded to this today in his press conference, in the locker room after the playoff loss, he was pretty sure he was coming back. He just wanted to give enough appreciation and space to kind of reflect on this season and not push forward to his decision about will he retire or will he come back. It was an easy decision for him in a way, he said, but when you kind of zoom out and look at it, it does make sense why it was an easy decision. Think back to two years ago when we weren't

sure if he was going to come back now for what would have been year 13 and now we know he's coming back for year 14. There was a ton in flux. They didn't have a quarterback. He didn't know who they were going to draft. He didn't know which direction they were going to go. Were they going to re-sign Kirk Cousins who he had a good relationship with? Were they going to let him walk? What was Kirk Cousins going to do? What was the future of the quarterback position going to look like? Where do the Vikings fit into the grand scheme of the league heading into last season? A lot of people thought the Vikings were going to be one of the worst teams in the league last season. So when you take all of this and then you compare it to the situation

he's coming back into now, maybe it does make sense that it was a little bit easier because there is a clear effective vision where are we headed? Are they gonna win 14 games this year? Probably not, but there is a vision, you can see it. And this probably goes back to what we talked about earlier in the podcast about his relationship with JJ McCarthy.

He can see that guy being the guy to lead them. So there's a lot more known commodities, or at least there were when he was making this decision than maybe there were a year ago when it was he's kind of having to squint his eyes and convince himself like, I think we could be good, but maybe and like, do I really want to come back to work if we're going to be fighting it the whole year? I think he loves this game. He has said it a couple of times in his this time of the year decision making process that you can't buy a spot out here.

I think all of that plays a role into it. If you feel like you can play, you have to play because once you decide you cannot you can't go back and undo that decision but it really did does feel like it also just comes down to like I think we can be really good this year and I want to see that part of it through and I tend to agree with them what is that gonna look like in the win-loss column I don't know but I think they're going to be a team that is certainly one that is each week going to be a hard team to kind of go up against and play against

and I think that's enough for Harrison Smith as he kind of projects out what this season looks like. I just think that we have to recognize how rare what we're seeing is here from Harrison Smith. I mean the NFL does not allow you to decide when you're done. You have to earn that. You have to play really well, which I think he still did last year. And if you look at it, even by, you know, PFF grade, which has been very kind to Harrison Smith and I think told a better story on his career than any traditional statistic ever could, he was still a higher rated safety last year than Javon Holland that

got what 20 million dollars a year and I know some of that is based on Holland's age in previous performance but it tells you that Harrison Smith is still enough of a playmaker and I think the communication element the leadership element is now so so valuable at a safety position that having him back is kind of feels like a final piece to the defense that they needed to have Him come back and not have to try to train somebody all new on that back end or multiple players That are all new on that back end So it is important but just when you have somebody who has accomplished what he has accomplished

I think he really recognizes this there are some players who are so in the moment that maybe they're not really aware of thinking of stuff like this, but Harrison is a very aware, a very thoughtful person. And I think you can see it even when he's doing this press conference of like, you know, in years past, he might've been thinking, oh, I gotta go talk to these media guys again.

And I was like, you know There's not gonna be many more times where somebody comes to you calling and says that they want to hear what you have to say For him, you know, maybe he'll go to broadcasting or do a podcast purple insider will hire Harrison Smith I think I think I could pay him very little right if he really wants to do it I mean, he's got money. He's got another multi-million contract, but the job offer is out there for Harrison to join this podcast but the point is I think you can hear it in his tone and Even in our tone asking questions. We all recognize this is just not something that happens a lot How many players in a franchise ever have someone play 14 years for one team do it at this high of a level?

ever have someone play 14 years for one team do it at this high of a level, many Pro Bowls, all Pro, a season where he had a chance to be a defensive MVP, and now he gets to lead them in a season where they have extremely high expectations. So I think maybe just for all of us and all Vikings fans kind of soaking in whatever is left of the career of Harrison Smith, but it's kind of cool to see that transition from him from guy in his prime who's fighting the fight whatever to now he can really reflect in real time while still being an effective player. It's just it's just it's just a pretty cool thing to happen for this team. But speaking of old people Aaron Jones said whoever invented age, screw them.

What do they know? I think it has something to do with the sun, the moon, something like that. Isaac Newton. I don't know. But whoever invented age, Aaron Jones has got a bone to pick with you because I'm sure he's gotten tired of hearing about. I think he what he was actually saying is age is just a number is something that he lives by and He did last year. He had a very good season It didn't sound to me like Aaron Jones was saying yeah, I'm ready to split carries 50-50 with Jordan Mason but he does like Jordan Mason's playing style and Mentioned even getting a chance to be on the field at the same time

which I think is not very likely that that's going to happen. But I like what KOC said about Aaron Jones and what he can do in a more 50-50, 60-40 type of role. Just getting the best version of him for 200 carries or 175 is better than 80% of him for 255 carries. And that's what Jordan Mason does. That was my biggest kind of takeaway from Aaron Jones though. How about you?

Yeah, I think Aaron Jones is kind of built in a way where he's never going to say, I want off the field. Tap me out, I don't got it. And he set a career high and touches last year. And I think if he was truly being honest with himself He he understands that that is not a sustainable way to continue your career But he is kind of just driven in a way that that's what he wants to continue to do He wants to one-up himself. He wants to prove that he still can

But I also think and this is why what Kevin O'Connell said at the owners meeting stood out to me, if Aaron Jones were to reflect on his career to this point, he is more effective in a way when he can kind of split carries in a 1A, 1B backfield. He was effective last year, but at times the body wore down. I know he played every game, but I think the culmination of that many touches is something that as you get over 30, and I can speak to it because I'm 33 years old and I stood up at a Kendrick Lamar concert for two hours over the weekend and now my lower back is on fire. As you progress in your age, because age is just a number and it is something that exists.

You need a little more. And I think a guy like Jordan Mason pairs perfectly with him. I thought that when they signed him, I think Aaron Jones will feel that even more next year when he's not taking a beating and setting a career high in touches. But I did get the sense that he is excited about getting to work alongside someone like that in the backfield, I don't think he's ever going to come out and say like, yeah, I can't wait to seed some carries to the guy next to me. But that's just not how he's built and how he's wired. So that's

going to be an effective backfield tandem. I think we can all kind of project that out in a way that, you know, it's very plausible that they're both going to have pretty effective years on the ground but I just like also zooming out just love talking to Aaron Jones and love anytime he is kind of whether he's standing in front of a lectern or he's standing at his locker you want to talk about and having an appreciation for a guy like Harrison Smith and what he's done in his career like we should have that same appreciation for a guy like Harrison Smith and what he's done in his career. We should have that same appreciation for Aaron Jones and just who he is as a person. I think it can be such a cliche sometimes like, oh that guy's a great person.

Yeah, everyone thinks everyone's a great person. But Aaron Jones is truly like one of the best people. And I think the fact that he wanted to come back here, that he now will get into year two and be probably even a bigger presence in that locker room. It's probably not something you can measure on the field in terms of carries, yardage, touchdowns, but he's going to bring something else now that he has another year under his belt in this system. It was big to get him back It's big to get someone to run with him But overall just like the fact that he was up there today talking

It's a good thing for the Vikings moving forward into the offseason and into next season as well There is something that's different about Aaron Jones where you might only meet a couple people in your life ever that are like Aaron Jones, the perfect culmination of a very, very intelligent person who also understands other people really well, is incredibly good at communicating. But I think the biggest thing is that his attitude is unwavering of positive energy. And anybody who's around him just picks up on that. No matter what happens, no matter how high or low your team is,

Aaron Jones would be somebody that you want back there. And I asked him about being around Jordan Love when he was young and he talked about what a good experience that was working with him. And I think he's really important for JJ McCarthy. He'll also catch the football. This is another thing too like we talk about and Harrison Smith said that about Aaron Jones too. He said like we talk about what a great person he is but like don't forget he's a great competitor and he's

a great football player. It's not just like we're hugging each other all the time but I think him being back there catching the football from JJ McCarthy, a guy who was going to be a little more willing to use his running back at tight end, will be really enormous. I looked up who invented the calendar, by the way, and now this is just AI. Could be right, could be wrong, I don't even know. This says the Gregorian calendar,

used by most countries today, was invented by Pope Gregory XIII in the year 1582. So relatively recent, the dinosaurs were not using calendars. It says he reformed the existing Julian calendar, which was introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC. So essentially, Aaron Jones has really a bone to pick with Julius Caesar. That's the guy who's the real problem here, Aaron. has really a bone to pick with Julius Caesar. That's the guy who's the real problem here, Aaron.

It's not us. It's not our narratives about older running backs or age curves or fantasy people. It's Julius Caesar is really the issue. Well, I guess there's a reason somebody went after him. Yeah. Who would win in a fight? Julius Caesar back then or Aaron Jones in present form? Maybe that was the problem is that Julius Caesar

said to Brutus, hey man, you're starting to get a little old. And I just can't, right, exactly. I just can't have, anyway, that needs to end right there. And so let's put in real predictions then for draft night for what the Vikings do. And by real, I mean, I don't think either one of us think they're actually picking Luther Burton but maybe maybe you do I don't think that they will Derek Harmon is the guy that I have circled I think they stick and pick at 24 and take Derek

Harmon what do you think this is boring because I think they stick and pick and take Derek Harmon it makes too much sense Dave they've about this how about this make your prediction if Derek Harmon gets taken before them That is yeah, cuz that at 24 there They're certainly not moving up because they don't have the draft capital to do so but screw those picks. Maybe they will move up See that's where it gets hard because I don't think they're going to take a safety Like I think if Malachi Starks is screaming at them and he's the only guy and all their other players on their board around that range of pick and they're truly sticking and picking, if Malachi Starks is the only one there

they'll probably take him. But I think there are going to be, and it's just because I've used that draft simulator so many times, shout out PFF, but I think there's going to be talent there whether it is in the trenches on the offensive side or the defensive side. In assuming Derek Harman is not there, I am going to assume that Walter Nolan is there and I'm just going to take him too. Like I think adding to that position, while I want them to take a receiver and you fully convinced me that way and I actually wrote in the pioneer press that they're going to take Luther Burden just because why not?

Sunday paper. I think a guy like Walter Nolan makes sense there too. Just a penetrating force on the defensive side of the ball that could project to be someone dominant down the road. You don't find defensive tackles really that dominate anywhere else but the draft. You just don't. And I know Jonathan Allen and Jvon Hargrave are going to come in here and you hope they're going to put pressure on the passer. But both of those guys are only available to you because they're over 30 years old and they're both coming off significant injuries. You don't find top end talent in the

trenches of the defensive line unless you spend a pretty high pick on it. I know Chris Jones was a second round pick, but even that is an outlier. Like you got to spend on it in the first round. So if Derek Harman's not there, I think they just pull the trigger and take Walter Nolan there too. I know he's a guy who can be a little polarizing To to certain draft experts out there But I think if he's there, that's who they should take. I like it. Okay. Thank you very much for your time Dame is a Tony and on draft night I will be live for the entire first round if they trade back to the second round then guess what? I'll be live then too.

We will see what happens. I'm sure that Dane will be a part of those live streams as well. So thank you so much for all of your time and we'll catch you all soon. Football football.