Five extra points: Vikings fans should trust what Kevin O’Connell, Brian Flores can do with this roster

Now is a good time to remember that Kevin O’Connell is the QB Whisperer. These eyes used to roll at that description. Then O’Connell paid Sam Darnold $10 million, won 14 games, captured NFL Coach of the Year and turned Darnold into a $100 million quarterback – all in one calendar year. If this were the 1600s, we’d be calling KO a witch. KO has earned the benefit of any doubts about where the Vikings’ QB room is heading now that veterans Darnold, Nick Mullens and Daniel Jones are gone and only greenhorns J.J. McCarthy and Brett Rypien remain. There are plenty of veteran QB2 options that still can be efficiently acquired. Mac Jones, Carson Wentz, Joe Flacco, Mason Rudolph, Jacoby Brissett and Cooper Rush. If KO likes one of them and your nose curls up, just remember which way your snout was pointing the day KO the QB Whisperer told you he liked Sam Darnold.

Signing Jones as this year’s version of the Darnold resurrection would have been ideal. But the Colts offered something Jones couldn’t pass up. And it had little to do with money. Jones will make only $14 million for one year. What the Colts offered was a better shot to start, thanks to their instability and sense of urgency in a very impatient league. The 22-year-old McCarthy’s slate is clean, his future unclouded and supported by the fact he was hand-picked 10th overall by KO the QB Whisperer. The future of Indy’s 22-year-old QB, Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick in 2023, is murky. In a way you’d expect from an injury-prone youngster who has seemed overwhelmed while completing an abysmal 50.6% of his passes while playing in only 15 of 34 games. And coach Shane Steichen, 17-17 in two seasons, is on a hot seat that’s likely going to make him cling to Jones.

Tis the season to hyperventilate with each click of the refresh button. Every move looks good. Too many A’s are handed out and too many “winners” declared. But, having said that, it’s hard not to think the Vikings aren’t a significantly stronger threat in the NFC now than they were two days ago. Again, that takes a lot of faith in KO the QB Whisperer considering their current starting QB sports a 0-0 career record and has been healthy for 0 of a possible 18 games. Re-signing cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. was the priority. A lot of money was well spent with no risk on that deal. Next, the Vikings rebuilt their trenches in a way you’d hope to see from a team that was manhandled at the end of last season and plays in the same conference as an Eagles team that manhandled an NFL dynasty in the Super Bowl.

As an All-Pro voter watching Washington games in recent years, these eyeballs have often wondered how defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, who agreed to terms with the Vikings on Tuesday, hasn’t been named All-Pro since he was the 17th overall pick in 2017. A legit 300-pounder with great leverage, strength and burst, he’s seemingly always impacting run and pass plays. Allen is a two-time Pro Bowler who has plenty left at age 30. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores was able to make a D-line of Harrison Phillips and overachieving backup-caliber players excel last year. Imagine what he can do with Allen and Javon Hargrave, another two-time Pro Bowl tackle who is expected to sign Wednesday, teaming up with Phillips. Allen has played 109 games. He has 42 sacks and 118 QB hits. Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery – Vikings starters whose contracts expired – have played a combined 212 games. They have a combined 18½ sacks and 65 QB hits.

The Vikings are on the front end of a rookie contract that enables an NFL team to spend money like tipsy toddlers. The 49ers? Not anymore. Any shift in power in the NFC includes the 49ers – or what’s left of them – at the bottom starting over now that former Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, will no longer be toiling for less than $1 million a season. At one point Tuesday, the exodus from San Francisco reached a milestone. Eleven of the 22 players who started in Super Bowl LVIII just 13 months ago were gone. Among those 11 departing this year are Hargrave, receiver Deebo Samuel Sr., guard Aaron Banks, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, cornerback Charvarius Ward and safety Tashaun Gipson. Safety Talanoa Hufanga, who was on injured reserve for that Super Bowl, also is gone. Kyle Shanahan had two Super Bowl cracks in five years. He led Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter both times. And lost both times. So, tick-tock, Vikings. Even if McCarthy is as good as KO the QB Whisperer claims, his contract won’t be team friendly forever.

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