I’m excited for the Minnesota Vikings. I think one thing we know in the NFL is change is constant. The Vikings have a new head coach and general manager. I think new coach Kevin O’Connell is going to work wonders with quarterback Kirk Cousins. Keep in mind: O’Connell was in Los Angeles last year when the Rams acquired Matthew Stafford.

Look at the success Stafford had in his first season, winning a Super Bowl with the Rams. In talking to O’Connell, he said Matthew took ownership of the offense. I think we’re gonna see that with Cousins.

A New Regime

As bad as things were last year in Minnesota, Cousins threw 33 touchdowns and just seven picks. I think he can throw for 5,000 yards in his new offense, and I think O’Connell is going to take the training wheels off.

Remember with Mike Zimmer, who was a defensive-minded head coach and a guy that wanted to establish the running game, he wanted to limit the exposure of Cousins, and that’s not going to be the case with O’Connell. I think it’s going to be free-wheeling. It’s going to be aggressive. It’s gonna be an up-tempo style of offense, which is something I think Cousins will really thrive in.

Cousins’ Supporting Cast

When you look at the supporting cast, Adam Thielen — even on a down year — is good for nine or 10 touchdowns. You look at Justin Jefferson, all he’s done in his first two seasons is shatter records in Minnesota. Dalvin Cook is a really good running back. However, the Vikings need to stay healthy at the tight end position and solidify the interior of their offensive line. I also think they’re going to be better on defense with new coordinator Ed Donatell, who’s going to bring a 3-4 scheme.

The challenge for the Vikings is whether they can narrow that gap between themselves and the Packers in the NFC North. Trust me, Cousins is gonna put up big numbers this year for the Minnesota Vikings.