Kevin O’Connell was captured crying after been sack today…

The Minnesota Vikings are less than a month away from converging on Eagan, MN for training camp and the group gathering at TCO Performance Center will look a lot different than it has for the past couple of seasons.

Kirk Cousins is out, Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy are in. But that’s only the start of the changes. The Vikings have fresh faces all over their roster. Some positions look upgraded, others have more question marks than in previous years.

One group that has gotten a clear improvement at the top of the depth chart is running back. Aaron Jones is 10x the running back Alexander Mattison can even dream of being and Vikings fans who weren’t paying attention, while Jones was across the border playing for Green Bay, will see the very drastic difference in short order.

Meanwhile, the most promising backfield talent on roster in 2023, Ty Chandler, will be returning in 2024. And according to Charley Walters (Pioneer Press), so will Cam Akers, who Minnesota traded for in the middle of last season.

That’s as long as Akers, who ruptured his achilles tendon on November 5 (one week after Kirk Cousins suffered the same injury), can pass an upcoming physical.