The Minnesota Vikings have some of the worst odds to win the Super Bowl, their odds of having under seven wins is at -110 and their odds to make the playoffs are +270, according to Caesars Sportsbook, but some players on the team are still confident they will take home the Lombardi Trophy this year. Vikings safety Camryn Bynum has either not seen the odds or is choosing to ignore them.
Bynum likes what he sees from the team so far this offseason, so much so that he says a championship is the expectation.
"I expect a Super Bowl. Everybody says that, and everybody should say that," Bynum said, via NFL Network. "But you look at the guys on the team, you look at the locker room, all the experience we have. Look how much depth we have, especially on the defense. So many guys. It's almost weird looking around, you're like, OK how are we all going to get on the field? There's just so many ballers."
Confidence in yourself and your team is a good place to start, even if the betting odds say otherwise.
The Vikings have yet to even name their starting quarterback, with former first rounder Sam Darnold and 2024 No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy to choose from. While Darnold will be QB1 heading into camp, there is no obvious answer yet to who is the better choice.
Despite not having a clear star quarterback, Bynum feels the offense will be able to operate at a high level.
"You look at the offense. There's a baller at every position when you look across the whole board. That's why I'm confident when I say I expect us to be a Super Bowl team," Bynum said. "But really, our preparation has to tell it all. You say that every year. Every team says that every year, but we have to put all these names and everything. We have to make it real."
The former fourth-rounder is enjoying the quarterback competition and says they are neck-and-neck in terms of talent and readiness.
"Having the two new quarterbacks, it's fun being able to play against them and see what they bring to the table," he said. "They're both looking really good. It's exciting to see them compete. They're both looking good, so I can't put one over the other. I just say they both look ready. Whatever coaches decide, I trust them and their decision."
Darnold only had one start last season and has never started an entire year. He is 21-35 in games where he is QB1. He has 63 career touchdowns with 56 interceptions and has yet to prove himself as a consistent starter.
Every year, there are teams that surprise everyone and are more successful than their offseason odds, but it is quite the stretch to think the Vikings will be that team this year. It is even more of a stretch to believe they could win the Super Bowl.
Minnesota lost its veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, but did have some additions that could help the team rack up wins. The Vikings signed running back Aaron Jones this offseason, as well as defensive end Jonathan Greenard and linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel.
