Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s Critical Quote After Drafting J.J. McCarthy
K. Joudry
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Give the GM credit: the Vikings snagged their future QB1 without needing to totally drain the cupboard.
Afterwards, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah met with the Minnesota media. Dallas Turner, the newest addition to the defense, was a focus. The McCarthy pick, though, is the one that really stands out. Notably, Adofo-Mensah made a bold promise when discussing how Minnesota will be interacting with the Michigan alumnus.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, J.J. McCarthy, and The Path Ahead at QB
The GM was talking about how to support his young quarterback in the presser.
“When we go back over history,” Adofo-Mensah explains, “we say these quarterbacks that missed, there’s a lot of hands that are dirty in that regard. We’re going to make sure that our hands are clean and give [McCarthy] the best opportunity.”
Translation: as an organization, the Vikings are going to do everything in their power to set their young passer up for success. Having “clean hands” means that McCarthy will lack for nothing when it comes to improving his game.
Getting drafted at 10th overall speaks to not only the talent that’s present right now but, more importantly, how that talent can develop in the future. Minnesota sees a quarterback with great accuracy and athleticism. They see someone who won a lot at a major college program and who will work hard.
But, crucially, they also see someone who needs time to develop. They see someone who needs to be coached and who needs to practice. He’s not a finished product — what rookie is? — and so the Vikings are committing to rallying around McCarthy.
Far too often, excellent players have their careers derailed by being put in an impossible situation. Sometimes, the best thing for a young passer isn’t to throw any passes. Instead, holding the clipboard (tablet?) while learning from the sidelines for a year or two is exactly what the doctor ordered.
In time, the young QB can step onto the field with a much greater understanding of NFL play speed, scheme, how to study film, his teammates’ strengths, and the various other factors that go into NFL quarterback play.
The Vikings are going to do things the right way with McCarthy. Still only 21, the rookie can afford to take a year or two to develop. Plenty of time under the tutelage of Kevin O’Connell, Wes Phillips, and Josh McCown can only do good things. Sam Darnold is still the starter, a reality that will only change if McCarthy absolutely crushes the offseason.
Without the bright lights and intense pressure of being ready for Week 1, J.J. McCarthy is going to continue improving. The end goal is to push him to the point where he can be the franchise cornerstone for the next decade.
Achieving that ambitious goal can only arrive if his career is nurtured in the proper manner early on. Adofo-Mensah has publicly committed to doing so, meaning the progression for McCarthy in the coming months and years will be one of the most fascinating stories for the Vikings.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.