Not Long Ago, J.J. McCarthy Talked about Continuing as the Vikings’ Starting QB
Already, J.J. McCarthy has taken on the issue of his status as the starting quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings. He did so after the season concluded, answering a direct question about his job security after a season that ended somewhat promisingly.
Since then, a lot has happened.
Head Coach Kevin O’Connell discussed the need for robust competition at quarterback. So did General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who then got fired not too long afterwards. Free agency has undergone the frenzy portion of things (even as the Vikings missed the memo on needing to take a frenzied approach). Add it all up and Mr. McCarthy now looks like the QB2.
J.J. McCarthy Said He Doesn’t Own the QB1 Job
Did J.J. McCarthy fully secure the QB1 job? That was the question after the season concluded. His answer: “After today, maybe.”
But then he continued: “But tomorrow there’s nothing promised and the next day there’s nothing promised. That’s something that I take very seriously. It’s not something that you buy and you get for the rest of your life; you rent it, you lease it every single day.”
Similarly notable is McCarthy’s desire to be “in this house for a long time.” In essence, McCarthy is showing maturity within his acknowledgement that he’ll need to work toward continually owning his starter’s spot. At no point will it ever be fully secure.
Part of the issue with continuing to live in the house under consideration — the starting quarterback spot — is that Kyler Murray is objectively a better quarterback. Whether that continues being the case remains to be seen, but Murray looks to be around a 90% certainty at starting in Week 1.
Hanging out with (roughly) a 9% or 10% chance of remaining as the starter is McCarthy (assuming good health for all passers in the Twin Cities).
The 23-year-old completed just 57.6% of his passes last season while playing in ten games. He went 6-4 but had his touchdowns at 11 whereas his interceptions came in at 12. Making things look better is that his expected completion percentage (NFL Next Gen Stats) came in at 62.8%, suggesting that the kid may have gotten a raw deal from time to time.
Adding Carson Wentz is about shoring up the passer depth, not adding another potential starter into the mix. Minnesota is venturing into a two-horse race between Murray and McCarthy.
To keep leasing the starting position, J.J. McCarthy needs to stay out of the infirmary. Sounds basic, but it’s been perhaps the issue with the young fella: not being able to avoid injury. A knee injury, ankle injury, concussion, and wrist injury have sidelined him previously, stealing away 24 of his initial 34 games in the NFL. Continuing with the trend will mean that he becomes a draft bust.
If health cooperates, then McCarthy’s task involves developing a strong rapport with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Operate the Kevin O’Connell offense in all its fullness, not a stripped-down version that leaves certain portions of the field unchallenged.
In terms of the basic stats, J.J. McCarthy wants to see his completion rate coming in around 65%. He’ll want his passing yards to easily surpass 3,000 while his touchdowns march well into the 20s while the interceptions hang around in the single digits. Do these things and he’ll keep a roof over his head as the Vikings’ starter.
Last year, the kid demonstrated that he has a knack for winning and stepping up in the clutch. So, too, has he shown strong leadership ability, arm strength, mobility, and a capacity to navigate some media scrutiny. These things aren’t the end of the debate, but they’re important nonetheless.
J.J. McCarthy carries a cap charge coming in at close to $6 million. Meanwhile, Kyler Murray comes in at a bargain bin price at just $1.3 million.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
