Kevin O’Connell believes Vikings are actually good and have an ‘elite’ QB

Kevin O’Connell, recent off a Tremendous Bowl victory because the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator, was launched because the Minnesota Vikings subsequent head coach on Thursday, and the massive takeaway from his first press convention is the workforce is fairly good.

The roster is fairly good.

The quarterback is best than fairly good as a result of he’s “elite” and undoubtedly his 2022 starter.

I half anticipated O’Connell to inform us the February climate within the Twin Cities is fairly good.

(The forecast low is -2 for Friday.)

O’Connell mentioned he doesn’t consider the Vikings, 15-18 and unable to make the postseason the previous two years, are that removed from being an incredible workforce.

“I don’t. I actually don’t,” the rookie coach mentioned. “We’ve talked so much about that. That’s one of many belongings you search for while you get these alternatives is the place is that this present workforce at, after which clearly what kind of plan can we put in place to go accomplish the objectives that we need to accomplish.

“I feel there’s quite a lot of causes, you simply mentioned it, on either side of the ball that make me actually enthusiastic about implementing the techniques and the processes that we’re going to implement that these guys can then take and run with as gamers.”

Earlier than O’Connell was launched, there was uncertainty what the Vikings deliberate to do with quarterback Kirk Cousins in 2022. The 34-year-old has put up good statistics over time, together with 33 TDs and 7 interceptions final season, however he’s by no means delivered any sustained postseason success.

And in 2022, Cousins is scheduled to value the Vikings $45 million on their wage cap. And buying and selling him or just slicing him would save the workforce each penny of that $45 million.

However that’s not the path the Vikings are going.

O’Connell loves Cousins. And new normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah loves Cousins.

They in all probability love him greater than many Vikings followers.

“Effectively, I feel Kirk has performed at a really excessive degree, and he’s finished quite a lot of actually good issues all through his profession,” O’Connell mentioned. “I do know who he’s as a participant, and I do know what he’s able to, and a part of our job as coaches is maximizing a participant’s capacity to exit each single Sunday and have success.

“I really feel that’s going to be a bonus for us as we construct our system offensively. (To) make sure that we actually deal with the issues Kirk does nicely, which I do assume are quite a lot of points of taking part in the place, and assist him every day join along with his workforce, lead us, be a very quieted-mind quarterback that may go play. As a result of he’s proficient sufficient to go do this.”

Stated Adofo-Mensah: “I’m excited that he’s excited to teach (Cousins) and lead him, and we’re centered on constructing the workforce round him to set us as much as succeed one of the best we will.”

O’Connell coached Cousins for a yr in Washington and coached Matt Stafford in Los Angeles final season. And he sees similarities.

“Yeah, they’ve quite a lot of similarities in the case of the bodily nature of throwing the soccer,” O’Connell mentioned. “I feel these guys are elite throwers.”

So Cousins it’s.

And from how O’Connell was speaking, he’s additionally enthusiastic about the remainder of the Vikings roster — the one which was 8-9 final yr and received each normal supervisor Rick Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer fired.

O’Connell isn’t simply digging the Vikings offense, but in addition thinks the protection goes to make noise with gamers it already has.

“I see impactful gamers in any respect three ranges, I actually do, beginning within the again finish with Harrison Smith,” he mentioned. “I feel he’s the proper participant for the defensive construction we need to play from the standpoint of the protection, how we need to make all issues look the identical.

“He’s received nice size. He’s received nice instincts. He’s going to be an issue for folks within the
center of the sector and across the line of scrimmage. He actually all the time has been, talking from expertise.

“Clearly with the linebackers, with Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr, these guys have lengthy since been large points on this league for folks defensively. I feel there’s methods to make use of these guys and permit them to play with an attacking mindset whereas they’re nonetheless liable for the issues that they’re liable for defensively, after which I feel we’ve received gamers each inside and on the sides defensively, line of defense, that may affect the quarterback.”

This sort of speak goes to excite Vikings followers as a result of they’re principally being advised their workforce is nice sufficient to win now and in a giant approach.

However they’re additionally being advised by their new coach that he’s going to get outcomes from the identical gamers that didn’t ship for the earlier coach.