Rookie QB J.J. McCarthy Works Out with an Old Friend
Kirk Cousins is out as the Vikings’ quarterback after six seasons with the organization. The statistics show a consistently solid passer who brought some stability to the most important position. His critics refer to the team’s record with him under center and the lack of postseason results. Regardless, he left the team to sign with the Atlanta Falcons.
Rookie QB J.J. McCarthy Works Out with an Old Friend
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah found the veteran’s successor in the draft after trading up one spot. He grabbed J.J. McCarthy out of Michigan. The tenth overall pick guided Michigan to the national title.
Similarly to Cousins in the NFL, McCarthy was polarizing before the draft. While he has outstanding team success on his record, his individual numbers didn’t match those of usual first-round signal-callers. Others focused on his tools, such as his above-average arm strength and mobility, as well as his mature mindset.
Still, he must work on some fundamentals to maximize his talent and unseat projected starting quarterback Sam Darnold. The Vikings have worked on his throwing motion and footwork, but that requires hard work and as many reps as possible.
With only a few weeks until training camp, longtime Vikings receiver Adam Thielen posted a video on social media that shows him catching passes from McCarthy.
Thielen is an experienced player who has caught passes from various quarterbacks in his long career, including Cousins, Sam Bradford, Case Keenum, and Teddy Bridgewater. With his current team, the Carolina Panthers, he has worked with last year’s first-overall pick, Bryce Young, and Andy Dalton.
He can help the newcomer refine his throws. The wideout is a true technician and an excellent route-runner and knows what a receiver needs to make a catch. Picking his brain is a good move from McCarthy, especially as Thielen has just worked with another rookie and can forecast the normal struggles.
Throwing to players who aren’t on their own team isn’t unusual in the offseason. As previously mentioned, McCarthy needs reps, and throwing to actual NFL talent is good practice.
The veteran wideout was cut from the Vikings in the 2023 offseason. He had slowed down in previous seasons, and injuries started to pile up. Adofo-Mensah didn’t have much choice, considering the outrageous contract. He then replaced him by selecting Jordan Addison in the draft, who proceeded to have an outstanding rookie campaign.
Thielen, meanwhile, signed with the Panthers, the worst team in the league via team record.
On a personal note, however, he had a productive season despite the subpar quarterback play, recording his first 1,000-yard season since 2018. He also appeared in all 17 contests in back-to-back seasons and caught 103 passes and four touchdowns.
One reason for his excellent numbers was the lack of weapons next to him. Rookie Jonathan Mingo failed to meet expectations, as did D.J. Chark and tight ends Tommy Tremble and Hayden Hurst. Former high draft picks Terrace Marshall and Laviska Shenault combined for 199 receiving yards.
The Panthers have hired Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator Dave Canales as their new head coach after one season with Frank Reich, traded for Steelers’ weapon Diontae Johnson, and selected Xavier Legette in the first round.
Thielen’s numbers will likely dip in the second year of his three-year, $25 million deal, with some new targets around him, but he might be more efficient. The Panthers go as far as sophomore Young can take them. His development is critical for the franchise.
Blake Cashman, Minnesota’s new linebacker, joined the duo on the practice field.
McCarthy, meanwhile, enters the campaign without any pressure. There’s a world in which he just develops behind Darnold without taking any snaps this year. The Vikings have indicated a cautious and patient approach. If he enters a game, he will have the luxury of throwing to Justin Jefferson.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over the Cap and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt