Jared Allen praises Vikings leadership and 'aggressive' defense

"You're going to live and die by it so you might as well go after them all the way."

Oct 30, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings Jared Allen (69) rides in on a horse before his induction into the Ring of Honor against the Arizona Cardinals at half time at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings legend Jared Allen thinks that, despite a season-ending injury to their rookie QB, his former team is on the right track.

In an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, Allen praised the Vikings leadership and said J.J. McCarthy's season-ending meniscus injury could actually prove be the best thing for him long term.

"From the Vikings' standpoint, I like where they're moving," Allen said. "The J.J. McCarthy thing was sad, it's unfortunate. I think he has a bright upside, especially with Coach O'Connell. I think O'Connell is going to do a great job. With Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah] and everybody there, I really like where they're at from a leadership standpoint."

McCarthy, the No. 10 overall selection in this year's draft, suffered a meniscus injury in the first preseason game, in which he threw for 188 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 11-of-17 attempts against the Raiders. Just days later it was announced that McCarthy had undergone surgery to repair a torn meniscus, ending his rookie year before it really even started.

With McCarthy now out for the season, the Vikings will rely on journeyman Sam Darnold to operate the what could be a high-powered offense.

"I think Sam Darnold has got some upside. I think he shows spurts of being the guy that people wanted him to be. So, hopefully he can pull that together," Allen said of Darnold's chances this season.

It was, unsurprisingly, on the defensive side of the ball where Allen remained most impressed with the Vikings' offseason work.

"To be honest, I was actually more impressed with what the Vikings did up front. I think they're trying to solidify their line. Unfortunately, we lost [Danielle Hunter]. Danielle was one of my favorite pass rushers to watch," Allen said. "I think with the new acquisitions we brought in, we're going to be young on the defensive side. We're going to be fast. We're going to have a good ability to get after the quarterback up front from multiple angles."

Ultimately, Allen thinks the Vikings will be "OK" this season and McCarthy's injury will be good in the long term, not just for McCarthy but also for Darnold.

"Like I said, it's unfortunate but long term it might be the best thing for J.J. to sit and not feel so pressured, especially coming in from behind [Kirk Cousins] where we had some playoff years, we had some missed opportunities," said Allen. "Hindsight, it might be alright."