The Vikings’ Quarterback Paradox
Predictably, the Vikings’ quarterback paradox hovers around J.J. McCarthy.
The 22-year-old passer finds himself in a seemingly contradictory scenario. In one sense, McCarthy is being asked to just play solid football since the roster is so strong. Basically, don’t carry the weight of the world on those young shoulders. In another sense, though, McCarthy is uniquely capable of sinking the Vikings’ season insofar as he’s stepping into the game’s most important position. He can therefore undermine what is otherwise a team that’s locked and loaded for contention.
The Vikings’ Quarterback Paradox
Ryan Kelly understands that the quarterback carries a huge burden. After all, Minnesota’s new center worked with a whopping thirteen passers as a Colt.
While chatting with the Minnesota media about his background, Kelly made the observation that a quarterback has a disproportionate influence on a team’s success. The veteran lineman describes the position as being “all encompassing because that position you can’t win without it, right? And they control the offense, they control the team.”
The importance of being a quarterback isn’t lost on Mr. Kelly. The curious detail is simply that Kelly’s answer involves going on to reflect on how he can help the quarterback, which brings us back to the Vikings’ quarterback paradox.
Getting at the issue from a different angle can involve reading some of what Dustin Baker writes in a recent piece for Vikings Territory.
On the one hand, Mr. McCarthy is getting loads of help, lessening the load he has to carry: “He’ll get oodles of help from others, specifically his second-ranked defense from 2024, head coach Kevin O’Connell, and playmakers like Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Aaron Jones, to name a few.”
On the other hand, Mr. McCarthy will need to offer at least pretty good play, meaning there’s still a burden on his shoulders: “If the Vikings want to succeed — as early as the 2025 campaign after Minnesota won 14 games last year with Sam Darnold — McCarthy and [Justin] Jefferson need that immediate chemistry. For some reason, McCarthy hasn’t necessarily been held to the standard of a normal first-year starting quarterback who is guaranteed to make mistakes and will need time to develop. Many onlookers have higher expectations for McCarthy, identifying the Vikings’ Super Bowl window as ajar right now.”
Keeping up with those thoughts?
The Vikings’ quarterback has been surrounded by tons of support. Great coaches, skill that’s second-to-none in the NFL, and an o-line ready to protect him from all foes. J.J. McCarthy won’t need to do everything. But, crucially, J.J. McCarthy has to be able to do something.
That’s the hinge, folks.
In certain situations, the highly-picked young passer is tasked with doing everything because the roster is so devoid of talent. Not so in Minnesota. Instead, Minnesota is asking the highly-picked passer to do something. Put differently, offer at least some moments of strength, competence, and magic. Very likely, that alone from J.J. McCarthy will be enough to make Minnesota competitive.
Last season, Sam Darnold cleared 4,300 yards while climbing up to 35 passing touchdowns. He did so while completing an impressive 66.2% of his passes. J.J. McCarthy doesn’t need to replicate those numbers to be a success.
Complete somewhere around 65% of the passes while getting past 3,500 passing yards and push the touchdowns into the 20s. Do so while avoiding major gaffes. Bonus points get added if McCarthy can take less sacks, instead picking up some first downs on the ground. The Vikings can win games with a quarterback operating at that level.
The kid QB is coming in with a cap hit a hair below $5 million. If he shines early, the Vikings will be getting tremendous value. Offering strong, not extravagant play, is what’s needed.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
It Turns Out the Vikings Have a Best-Kept Secret
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 Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.
