Looks Like Another J.J. McCarthy Crisis Has Been Averted
Sunday is scheduled to be J.J. McCarthy’s fifth game of live NFL action. He’s already a year behind because of his knee injury that sidelined him in 2024, and the high ankle sprain suffered in Week 2 of his sophomore season wasn’t helpful either.
Looks Like Another J.J. McCarthy Crisis Has Been Averted
What has transpired through the first four games was some positive signs mixed with a bunch of concerning plays. Some struggles have always been expected for a player who’s stepping onto the field for the first time in his professional career and there has been too much “good” to just dismiss McCarthy’s talent.
However, the injuries have raised some headaches. On Wednesday, head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that his passer had once again suffered an injury, though he stated that it’s not believed to cost him any preparation time.
Still, he was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday’s practice report. The good news came on Thursday, when he was upgraded to full participation, despite wearing a bandage on his injured hand.
Barring any change, McCarthy is good to go for Sunday’s rematch with the Chicago Bears. His NFL debut was in Chicago, and after needing some time to find his groove, he delivered one of the best fourth quarters Vikings fans could’ve asked for. The young passer registered two touchdowns with his arm and added a third with his legs en route to a comeback win.
Certainly, the Bears want to get back at the Vikings for stealing the opener, and they are coming to Minnesota red hot with a 6-1 record over their last seven.
The 22-year-old needs a strong showing after metaphorically falling apart last Sunday in the matchup against Lamar Jackson’s Ravens. In that game, he showcased his mobility and playmaking ability early, but his accuracy seemed to drop as the game went on.
He disregarded the hand injury as a possible excuse on Wednesday, though, “I definitely felt it, for sure. Ripped one in there pretty good to [Justin Jefferson] and hit a helmet. You’re going to feel it the rest of the way, but there’s no excuses at all. Got to find ways to adapt and make sure the ball gets to the receiver.”
McCarthy has been a tough player to evaluate early in his career. His numbers are similar to those of QBs who have earned a bust designation. Conversely, he has shown all the tools a franchise quarterback needs, but lacks consistency. His next step undoubtedly needs to be to play an entire game at a respectable level rather than showing glimpses of excellence and long stretches filled with issues.
It remains to be seen if he has his center Ryan Kelly back in the lineup. The four-time Pro Bowler has returned to practice this week after spending the last five games on IR with his second concussion of the season. Listed as a limited participant, the Vikings could activate him ahead of the game. It wouldn’t be shocking to see the decision-makers take a cautious approach, considering how scary multiple concussions can be.
The remaining players of the usual starting offensive line will be available, and Blake Brandel would stick in the lineup if Kelly’s absence continues.
The big takeaway from Thursday’s practice session is that McCarthy’s fifth start won’t be delayed by his latest injury scare.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.