For the past six years, playing against the Vikings meant preparing to face Kirk Cousins. Not anymore.
For the first time since 2018, the Vikings have a new starting quarterback in purple uniform.
The Giants will see Sam Darnold in a different uniform on Sunday in his first regular-season game with his new team.
“Sam is a good friend and I'm always rooting for him. [but] “Not this week, but throughout his career,” Giants right guard Greg Van Roten told The Post. “I'm happy that he's having success. I know what it's like to have a little bit of ups and downs. We're friends and I wish him well as a professional. Just don't play us in Week 1.”
Van Roten and Darnold were teammates on the Jets in 2020, which was Darnold's third and final season with the team that selected him third overall in the 2018 draft.
Darnold went 2-10 in 12 starts, and head coach Adam Gase was fired after a 2-14 season.
“He was in a tough situation in New York,” Van Roten said, “had a couple of coordinators, a couple of coaches. Stability is so important in the NFL, continuity is so important and not having that as a young player can stunt your growth and development.”
Darnold went 8-9 as a starter with the Panthers in 2021 and 2022. He spent the 2023 season on the 49ers' bench, learning in Kyle Shanahan's powerful system but rarely playing.
“I think it was good for him to have a year around Coach Shanahan,” Van Roten said, “and now he's with another really good quarterback-friendly coach in a system that's proven to be successful if you run it the right way.”
The Vikings selected Michigan's J.J. McCarthy with the 10th pick in the 2024 draft. McCarthy is out for the season with a torn meniscus in his right knee, forcing coach Kevin O'Connell to turn to Darnold, who at 27 years old will get another chance to lead the offense.
He's 21-35 as a starting quarterback.
The Giants faced star WR Justin Jefferson twice in the 2022 season.
He had 12 catches for 133 yards and one touchdown in a win over the Vikings on Dec. 24, but just seven catches for 47 yards in the Giants' NFC Wild-Card win in Minneapolis a few weeks later.
Corner back Adre Jackson played Jefferson's primary role in defense in the postseason and was re-signed last week.
The Vikings also have wide receiver Jordan Addison, who had 10 touchdown receptions as a rookie in 2023, but will be without Pro Bowl tight end TJ Hockenson, who led the Vikings with 90 catches last season.
He tore his ACL late last season against the Giants and is on the physically unable to play list.
The key for the Giants will be dealing with running back Aaron Jones.
He recorded 100 or more rushing yards in each of the Packers' final five games last season, including two in the playoffs.
The Vikings signed him to a $7 million, one-year contract in an effort to improve their rushing attack, which was 29th in the league last season.
Two linebackers, Carter Coughlin and Ty Summers, were promoted from the practice squad and will likely play special teams roles in games. Linebacker Curtis Bolton was waived.
