Matthew Coller: Vikings who will be in the spotlight during preseason opener

A look at how Kevin O'Connell plans to use his QBs and which players will be in the spotlight

Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy / Minnesota Vikings

EAGAN — Local TV is about to have a field day in the ratings on Saturday afternoon. Minnesota Vikings fans, who have been rarely treated to worthwhile preseason football in the last decade, will get their first sneak peak at new quarterbacks Sam Darnold and first-round pick JJ McCarthy on Saturday afternoon.

Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced his plans for splitting up the playing time on Thursday.

“Sam Darnold will start the game, and then we will transition to J.J. McCarthy, for what I'm very excited to see, a significant amount of work.”

In the last two seasons O’Connell hasn’t played his starting quarterback in the preseason but this time around is very different. The free agent signee Darnold is starting to get on the same page with the first team offense stringing strong practices together over the last two weeks while McCarthy is learning the ropes as an NFL quarterback.

“Now, we're reaching the point where we get to see a good barometer on where we're at,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell did not say exactly what “significant” means in terms of how many series Darnold will play or when McCarthy will give way to second-year QB Jaren Hall. Nick Mullens is not expected to play.

On what he feels that he can learn about McCarthy’s progress, O’Connell said: “Nothing can quite simulate real play clocks, real repercussions for things like maybe you don't do your job and it affects others or vice versa. I think it's just a really good way of seeing exactly where you're at.”

Justin Jefferson will not be in uniform for the matchup.

What to expect from the QBs

Considering the distribution of reps, Darnold’s preseason work seems more about getting him a first look at playing inside US Bank Stadium than it does the veteran proving himself in the QB competition. Getting a chance to practice the cadence with the first-team offensive line in an actual game setting could be valuable as well as executing some real-speed decisions in O’Connell’s offense.

Darnold has been showing off the No. 3 overall pick arm during camp so we’ll be looking for a couple of passes that demonstrate why the Vikings signed him for $10 million with the belief that he could lead them this season.

For McCarthy there will be much more focus on the operation. How does he get in and out of the huddle? Does it appear he is throwing the ball on time? Will we see some flashes of the arm strength and athleticism that he has shown off on the TCO Performance Center? Can he get into some situations where he has to manage the clock and chaos of the two-minute drill in a real game?

McCarthy has looked pretty well in control of the offense in practice but it will be another sign of his development if he can come across that way versus the Raiders.

He mentioned the idea of playing against “vanilla” defense. It’s very possible Antonio Pierce will still toss a couple of blitz looks or disguised coverages at him just for the heck of it. Pierce comes across as a coach who wants to win every preseason game, not let a rookie QB sit back and pick him apart.

Which receivers will step up?

Jalen Nailor has turned into a daily story in camp as WR3a or WR3b along with Brandon Powell. Can he build on the practice momentum by connecting with Darnold and/or McCarthy the same way he has in practice?

Jeshaun Jones, a UDFA from Maryland, seems poised to have a breakout game with the way he’s been practicing lately.

Lucky Jackson has been a favorite target of JJ McCarthy. Will that carry over into the game?

The team kept Thayer Thomas for a reason. It’s now or never for him.

Trishton Jackson was on the team last year but there is a lot of competition for his spot this time around.

Trent Sherfield signed with the Vikings hoping to compete for WR3. It seems he’s really battling to make the 53.

Overall, there are four spots that look totally set and one spot up for grabs. Who’s going to come take it?

Left guard and rookie OL

Blake Brandel has been the only left guard to take first-team snaps in camp. At this juncture that would have changed if the Vikings didn’t feel he was the best option. How will he look with the rest of the line against a real opponent? Will the Vikings’ run blocking seem a shade stronger with him in there?

Rookies Walter Rouse and Michael Jurgens have both seen a lot of work in front of JJ McCarthy. Will they hold up blocking for him when their opponents are actually trying to hit the quarterback? Could both be quality depth right away?

Mr. Mankato on the D-line?

There is one player on the defensive line who will be drawing the most attention from onlookers: Levi Drake Rodriguez. He may have been the warm and fuzzy story of draft day but he’s been a lot more than that in practice. LDR has seen a lot of first-team reps and his motor is undeniable along with his size/quickness combo. How does that translate to a game?

There is a legitimate battle for roster spots on the D-line, including second-year player Jaquelin Roy and James Lynch, who is coming back from ACL surgery.

Off the edge

The top four edge rushers are set. What about after that? Veteran Jihad Ward has been on the field a lot as a situational rusher and Andre Carter II is looking to show his growth. Gabriel Murphy’s status is unclear because he has missed a few recent practices. Fellow UDFA Owen Porter has gotten some opportunities to rush the passer.

Who’s the cornerback anyway?

The ones to watch is Dwight McGlothern and Jay Ward. The UDFA has size and ball skills that make him an interesting prospect. If he plays well, he may have a chance to earn a roster spot. Ward has been working at corner for nearly the whole camp now after starting out as a safety. The fourth-rounder from last season might be valuable depth in the DB room if he shows he’s comfortable at the CB position.

Punt-off and new kicker

Matt Daniels said he wants to rotate Ryan Wright and Seth Vernon to get good looks at both of them.

Will Reichard has put together an impressive camp thus far. If he performs at the same level inside US Bank Stadium the Vikings will feel very confident in their kicking situation.

The kickoff

Daniels made it pretty clear that teams are going to hide their real plans for the new kickoff but at least fans will get a look at what’s to come with the new rules.

A win for KOC?

Preseason record means nothing but O’Connell has to get a victory in the preseason at some point, right?