Maniac? Departed Vikings Defender Spills Tea on J.J. McCarthy
The Minnesota Vikings aren’t interested in bringing in Aaron Rodgers, regardless of the smoke coming from the rumor mill. Therefore, it’s J.J. McCarthy’s ride in the 2025 season unless something unforeseen happens between now and September.
Maniac? Departed Vikings Defender Spills Tea on J.J. McCarthy
McCarthy was drafted tenth overall about 11 months ago, and the Vikings have praised him ever since. He brings everything to the table that a successful NFL quarterback needs. He has the requisite mobility and athleticism, his arm is a rocket, and his mindset is focused on winning.
The latest positive review came from departed safety Cam Bynum, who will wear the Colts uniform in the upcoming season. He appeared on Good Morning Football and was asked about Minnesota’s new QB1.
“I trust him. J.J.’s somebody that I trust. Just a leader, first and foremost,” Bynum said. “The way that he carried himself as a leader but also still following the right way and still listening and humbling himself to learn from the other guys.”
The passer missed his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus. However, he used that year to improve his understanding of the game. Bynum was impressed by his intention to learn from defenders and his vertical passing attack.
“But the one thing that stood out to me from him, as soon as he got in, he was throwing that ball. He was a gunslinger in practice. First and 10, simple concepts, he’s throwing the deep ball, he’s trying to fire it downfield. That’s something that I respected out of a rookie. Going forward after his injury, he’s sitting there in the defensive team meeting room, trying to learn our defense and trying to learn any way he can. He’s kind of a maniac when it comes to football.”
Before coming to the Twin Cities, McCarthy was the signal-caller for the Michigan Wolverines.
“The way that he carried himself while he was hurt, I can only imagine how he’ll carry himself when he’s healthy,” Bynum added. “When they give him the keys to the program to be able to go and just carry himself as that leader, and they let him know ‘you’re the guy, we’re rolling with you,’ I think J.J.’s going to grow. And like I say, J.J.’s somebody I can trust.”
The Vikings allowed three veteran passers to hit free agency this offseason. Sam Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks, Nick Mullens followed coach Grant Udinski to Jacksonville, and Daniel Jones preferred to compete with Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis over challenging McCarthy.
In addition to that, the club said ‘no thanks’ to Aaron Rodgers, a future Hall of Famer. It’s McCarthy’s team, and if Bynum is right, he will be ready for the big stage.
The Vikings are still looking for a backup passer, preferably a veteran. High-end candidates available in free agency are Ryan Tannehill, Joe Flacco, and Jameis Winston.
McCarthy, 22 years old, will be in the spotlight all offseason.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, 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