Benching McCarthy: A Vikings Argument in 3 Parts
Benching McCarthy isn’t happening unless something truly disastrous occurs. There is, nevertheless, chatter about the possibility arriving in 2025.
Currently, Jonathan James McCarthy is recovering from an ankle injury, a problem that has undermined his ability to play in either of Week 3 or Week 4. He won’t be playing in Week 5. Do the Vikings somehow get themselves to a point where rolling with Carson Wentz for the remainder of 2025 is the best decision? If so, what are the arguments in favor of handing things fully over to the veteran?
Assume that Wentz is currently the better quarterback. Very possibly, that’s indeed the reality. The pair of games that have been played point toward one player currently being better: Wentz, the one who has played in exactly 100 NFL games.
Now, simply being better at this present moment isn’t good enough to start Carson Wentz. The 32-year-old journeyman doesn’t appear to have much of a future in Minnesota beyond possibly being a medium-term backup. The future and the upside rest in J.J. McCarthy, someone chosen specifically to be the franchise passer. What would truly persuade the coaching staff to let the veteran takeover even when the sophomore is healthy again?
Benching McCarthy: A Threefold Argument
Argument #1 — Justin Jefferson Too Special to Waste
Justin Jefferson is a historically-great receiver. At 26, Jefferson is directly in his physical prime. Can the team really burn up a year of his absolute best football?
Already, the LSU alumnus has been in the NFL for five years. He’s currently moving through his sixth season. At no point has Jefferson achieved meaningful success, at least on a team level. His personal accolades are many, including being a Pro Bowler, an All Pro, and recipient of the Offensive Player of the Year award (among other distinctions). He wants and deserves to win.
Consider his statistics on a weekly basis:
- Week 1 — 7 Targets, 4 Catches, 44 Yards, 1 Touchdown
- Week 2 — 6 Targets, 3 Catches, 81 Yards, 0 Touchdowns
- Week 3 — 7 Targets, 5 Catches, 75 Yards, 0 Touchdowns
- Week 4 — 11 Targets, 10 Catches, 126 Yards, 0 Touchdowns
Combine the pair of weeks per passer. With McCarthy, Jefferson is sitting on 7 catches, 125 yards, and 1 touchdown. With Wentz, Jefferson is sitting on 15 catches, 201 yards, and 0 touchdowns. Just how significant is the ability to better unlock Jefferson’s seemingly endless ability?
Wasting a season of Justin Jefferson’s best football while a young quarterback figured out pro football would sting.
Argument #2 — The Money Says Win Now
Bach in March, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wasn’t shy. Consider some of the contracts he handed out:
- Javon Hargrave — 2 Years and $30 Million
- Jonathan Allen — 3 Years and $51 Million
- Ryan Kelly — 2 Years and $18 Million
- Aaron Jones — 2 Years and $20 Million
- Will Fries — 5 Years and $87.72 Million
Similarly, some form of deals were done with Josh Oliver, Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, Byron Murphy, Andrew Van Ginkel, Adam Thielen, and others. None of these players were brought aboard to achieve success in a far off future even if several will be leaned on beyond 2025. Rather, the deals were done largely due to a desire to win football games in the present moment.
Who is best equipped to allow those dollars to translate to wins? There’s a reasonable case to be made that it could be Wentz.
Argument #3 — J.J. McCarthy May Genuinely Need More Time
In 2025, Mr. McCarthy has proven capable of pulling off some tremendous moments on the football field. What hasn’t been proven is whether he’s capable of doing so consistently. The unproven player needs more time to show everyone whether he can do so.
As a result, the likeliest outcome is that McCarthy is going to get more runway. Coach Joudry — thank goodness I’m not in charge of the team — would give the kid playing time as soon as he hit the criteria that Coach O’Connell established: full health and full preparation.
Does anything taking place in practice undermine the team’s willingness to let him prove himself on the field?
Nothing that has occurred in 2025 has undermined Minnesota’s long-term commitment to J.J. McCarthy. Nevertheless, further evidence and evaluation could, at least in theory, prompt the decision makers to let the 22-year-old passer gain more experience as a backup. Health has been a problem. O’Connell’s offense is notoriously complex. McCarthy didn’t pass a ton at Michigan. Give him more time as a depth option.
Can there actually be some cluster of arguments made that convince the Vikings to roll with Wentz for the remainder of 2025? Very unlikely, folks.
Expect to see J.J. McCarthy on the field before too long regardless of what happens in Week 5. Rolling with the kid is the best move.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
