J.J. McCarthy Stepped Into “Power Role”
Everything the Vikings did this offseason was to prepare the team for J.J. McCarthy to take over. The offensive line has been stabilized with the addition of three interior blockers, a new running back has been acquired, and potential threats at the QB position have been avoided.
J.J. McCarthy Stepped Into “Power Role”
Though not official yet, McCarthy will be the starting quarterback in 2025, barring a catastrophic training camp or injury. Like the other 90 players, he’s currently in the process of going through OTAs.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell keeps emphasizing that OTAs are a learning phase and folks shouldn’t put any stock into the performance on the field. Although some of the very early reports were good, we’re just going to skip that for now and move to the podium sessions.
As always, the club made some players available for the media, and the local reporters caught up with defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, who will enjoy the company of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in 2025.
He was, like pretty much all employees of the organization nowadays, asked about the new QB1, and his response was promising and impressive.
“Well, he’s gotten jacked up. I don’t know if you’ve seen a change in his demeanor. But I thought it was really cool for his growth, I’ve commented before about how he came to me the week after his injury to try to learn more about the defense, and he’s pulled me at times, ‘Hey, I saw you were in a 4i on this play, and you moved to a two (2i) on what were you doing there? Why? How can I see a nickel if you’re doing that?’ So, asking those great questions.”
Phillips has told the story before, and both safeties Cam Bynum and Josh Metellus have echoed how impressed they were with how McCarthy carried himself following his injury and that he still wanted to improve his understanding of the game despite not being able to use the knowledge on the field for a while.
It should be expected that any comparison made with other passers will get some attention. A couple of weeks ago, tight end T.J. Hockenson compared McCarthy’s arm with that of Matthew Stafford. Phillips went a step further, comparing him to his former teammate and 2024 MVP, Josh Allen.
“He’s really stepped up in the personal power role, where just in the locker room, I’m constantly seeing him going to new guys, to new players, introduce, dapping each other up, sitting on the couches and just having conversation. Where last year, it was off to rehab, off to meetings. He understands that we have to build a family here, and you can’t have unique results without unique relationships that we believe in. And then, man, he’s got some confidence. He reminds me of like Josh Allen when I was with him in Buffalo, coming into his own and understanding the power that he has to lead this organization. And he’s doing a fantastic job doing that.”
Josh Allen, fresh off an MVP title, struggled for a couple of seasons before unexpectedly taking off in the 2020 campaign with Stefon Diggs as his WR1. McCarthy will be inserted into an explosive offense like Patrick Mahomes, has Stafford’s rocket arm, and will lead the organization like Allen. What could go wrong?
In all seriousness, the 2025 Vikings (and the following versions) rely on the young signal-caller. If he’s the real deal, this generation of Vikings could finally break the curse and get back to the Super Bowl after nearly five decades. If he isn’t, well, they’ll end up like many other chapters in franchise history and compete for an occasional playoff spot and lose quickly in the tournament.
Coming even close to Allen’s play between 2020 and 2024 would be enough to catapult O’Connell’s operation straight into Super Bowl contention, considering the offseason moves the front office has made in the last three months. Allen is also a natural leader and has done a fantastic job putting the franchise on his shoulders. Although it has not ended with a Bills’ trip to the Super Bowl, they are annual contenders simply because he is that good.
McCarthy’s leadership has always drawn praise. It was a big plus on his scouting reports coming out of college, and it’s still praised among teammates.
We’ll see if he’s just as good on the field in training camp and the preseason. His first start will come against the Chicago Bears in Week 1 of the 2025 campaign.