The Minnesota Vikings are entering their own version of the Final Countdown.
The 2024 season is upon us and the excitement is palpable. As we get through the offseason, everyone wants to see quarterback J.J. McCarthy in a Vikings uniform. It will signal a new era in Vikings football for many reasons.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell are entering their third seasons in control of the Vikings and it's crunch time. They now have the team shaped in their image and it's going to be pivotal for their future to be successful in the next two seasons.
With 84 days until kickoff, here’s a look at every player to wear No. 84 with the Vikings (via Pro Football Reference):
Every Minnesota Vikings player to wear No. 84
TE Josh Oliver 2023-2024
The Vikings signed Oliver as a free agent prior to the 2023 season. He thrived in 2023 as a blocking tight end and will be in the same role in 2024.
TE Irv Smith Jr. 2019-2022
A second-round pick in 2019, Smith never quite got off the ground He kept getting injured and those injuries prompted the Vikings to trade for T.J. Hockenson.
WR Cordarrelle Patterson 2013-2016
The Vikings sent second, third, fourth and seventh-round picks to move up for Patterson and he was electric right away in all phases. Unfortunately, Patterson never developed as a wide receiver and was relegated to being a gadget player and dynamic kick returner. He would later transition to running back and found success at the position.
WR Michael Jenkins 2011-2012
The Vikings signed Jenkins before the 2011 season and he spent his last two NFL seasons with the Vikings after spending six years with the Atlanta Falcons.
WR Aundrae Allison 2007-2008
Allison was a fifth-round pick in 2007 and lasted two seasons in the NFL. The highlight of his career was a 104 yard kick return for a touchdown in 2007.
WR Randy Moss 1998-2004, 2010
What else can be said about Moss that hasn't been? The Vikings capitalized on the rest of the league making a mistake by letting him fall to 21st overall. Moss caught 17 touchdowns as a rookie in 1998, a record that still stands to this day. He was a Pro Bowler five times with the Vikings and a three-time first-team All-Pro.