Vikings roster move hints at upgrading J.J. McCarthy replacement behind Sam Darnold

The Minnesota Vikings are riding high in the wake of a dominant Week 1 win over the New York Giants. After a messy offseason that saw Kirk Cousins leave, J.J. McCarthy get hurt, and Justin Jefferson hold out for a brief moment in time, Minnesota was firing on all cylinders in its season opener. Sam Darnold... is good?

That sure seems to be the case. We are talking, of course, about a former No. 3 pick lauded for his arm talent coming out of USC. Darnold can make all the throws; the preseason questions revolved around his decision-making in the pocket. The Vikings happened to keep the pocket extremely clean on Sunday, affording Darnold ample time to make his reads and locate the Vikings' robust slate of playmakers.

When Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are stretching the defense vertically — when Aaron Jones is on early-down cruise control between the tackles — suddenly, it becomes much easier to look like a star quarterback. Darnold will experience his share of hurdles this season, but it's clear that Minnesota can execute a successful offense without Kirk Cousins.

It's much easier to get comfortable with the Vikings' QB situation going into Week 2, but there is still room for an upgrade. McCarthy is done for the season, which leaves Minnesota without a trustworthy backup. Nick Mullens ate a few starts last season with exceedingly mixed results. Ideally, Darnold puts together 18 healthy weeks of football. But, in the event of future misfortune, the Vikings could use a better alternative.

Thankfully for Minnesota fans, a recent front office maneuver could set the table for such an upgrade.

Vikings' new T.J. Hockenson contract could help the front office upgrade Nick Mullens

The Vikings restructured the contract of Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson, which creates $7 million in new cap space, per ESPN's Field Yates.

That is not chump change. While the Vikings are surely prioritizing flexibility after signing Justin Jefferson to the highest non-QB contract in NFL history, flexibility is no use without an avenue to improvement. One of the clearest needs on the Vikings' roster is a better backup QB, and several appealing free agents (or trade targets) still populate the marketplace.

One of the buzziest names these days is veteran Ryan Tannehill, who is open to an NFL return if the "right opportunity" arises. He probably wouldn't sign on as Sam Darnold's backup, but if the latter gets hurt, that could open the door for Tannehill in Minnesota. The Vikings have a great O-line, elite playmakers, and enough money to line his bank account, which are all factors in Tannehill's thinking, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Minnesota can also keep trade options open. If the Pittsburgh Steelers opt to start Justin Fields full time, that would presumably put Russell Wilson on the trade block. The Philadelphia Eagles can probably be talked into trading Kenny Pickett for the right price. Heck, even Zach Wilson could make some sense for the Vikings. A great offense with great personnel can paper over a lot of flaws at the QB position. There are few more favorable quarterback setups in the NFL than Kevin O'Connell's offense in Minneapolis.

Darnold appears comfortable in the starting gig right now, but smart teams always prepare for the worst. The Vikings are an injury away from Nick Mullens, but the front office has at least kept the door open for a change if and when it becomes necessary.