There’s a J.J. McCarthy Update
The Minnesota Vikings selected a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 draft. J.J. McCarthy arrived out of Michigan with a national championship in his backpack, but he cost the franchise the most draft capital they have ever spent for a rookie passer.
There’s a J.J. McCarthy Update
Early reports were exciting. Head coach Kevin O’Connell figuratively glowed whenever talking about him, reporters left OTAs and training camp in awe because of his arm strength, and teammates praised him for his leadership before ever stepping foot on an NFL field.
He then finally did, for a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. In that game, he struggled at first but showcased his talent in the second half, throwing for a pair of touchdowns, including a beautiful dime on the left side to Trishton Jackson.
Devastating news followed in the next few days, ultimately ruling him out for the entire rookie season due to a torn meniscus. The injury was discovered after he had reported some discomfort in his knee. It suddenly was Sam Darnold’s operation for the whole 2024 season.
The good news is that the injury doesn’t seem to be career-altering, other than costing him valuable practice time. On Thursday, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah held his annual season-ending press conference, and, of course, he was asked about his costly investment and the QB’s progress.
“He’s on the field, throwing and training,” Adofo-Mensah said. “He looks great. You talk about a kid who’s just obsessed with football and loves being around the game. We’re excited about what we have in him. We’re excited about this offseason for him.”
That obsession with football is a major reason why his former college coach and now Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh fell in love with him, and it’s part of what made O’Connell handpick the man to run his offense and handle the QB1 duties in the Twin Cities for years to come.
The Vikings will make a decision in the next two months leading up to free agency whether they want to keep Darnold and give him another shot or pivot toward the original plan and go with McCarthy.
Undoubtedly, there will be a veteran quarterback added to the roster to mentor the 21-year-old and to step up in case of an injury. Someone like Joe Flacco or Andy Dalton comes to mind, as does the current Viking Daniel Jones.
Head coach O’Connell also talked about his rookie, and he also sounded quite positive, saying he returned to on-field training and is in a position to be “right where we hoped he would be at this point.”
He added that McCarthy had satisfied him by getting more familiar with the offense: “I think he’s maximized what this year was for him. I think he’s got a level of comfort in our offensive system.”
The missed practice time stings, and so did the fact that he couldn’t be an option to play in his debut season. However, on the bright side, he surely learned the playbook, watched veteran QBs prepare for the week, and contributed to meetings. While he couldn’t get any physical reps on the field, he has evolved by taking mental reps, and that will pay dividends.
McCarthy should be a full participant in the offseason workouts or, at the very latest, in training camp. He is the man the Vikings chose to be their future signal-caller, and although delayed by a year, nothing has ever suggested that they have changed their minds.
He has the arm strength, the mobility, and the intangibles to be the face of O’Connell’s offense for many years.
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