Latest Report Adds New Uncertainty to J.J. McCarthy’s Vikings Future
For the third straight offseason, Minnesota’s plans at quarterback remain unsettled. First, the club replaced Kirk Cousins with the combination of J.J. McCarthy and Sam Darnold, then pivoted from Darnold to McCarthy. The final verdict on this year’s decision is still a mystery. A new ESPN report suggested that change isn’t out of the question.
Friday, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote about the impact the Vikings’ front office shakeup could mean for the franchise in general but also for the future of the passing situation. The uncertainty extends beyond roster construction and into the organization’s belief in its current plan.
He noted, “Does this change the Vikings’ plans for QB J.J. McCarthy? The best way to put this, based on what sources have said, is that all bets are off. The general manager who drafted McCarthy No. 10 in 2024 has been fired, and the coach who was in full agreement with that decision is now under considerably more scrutiny.”
“All bets are off” is about as blunt a message as the Vikings’ fan base is likely to get this offseason. McCarthy entered last year’s season as the clear future franchise quarterback, but his underwhelming play raised questions and those were further reinforced by the recurring injury problems.
The young passer started ten games and suffered an ankle sprain early in the season, followed by a concussion and a fracture in his hand. Two seasons into his career, McCarthy has only tossed the ball 243 times.
Seifert continued, “In the big picture, McCarthy is a talented player who just turned 23 and has a total of 10 NFL starts. Few NFL teams would give up on a quarterback with that profile, and many team builders are particularly enamored with optimizing a quarterback’s rookie contract. Adofo-Mensah was one of them, but his departure is a reminder of the range of outcomes that approach can lead to.”
Certainly, there is some hidden talent. McCarthy showed flashes throughout the season and he played pretty well for a few weeks later in the campaign. However, the big picture of his sophomore campaign shows that only 57.6% of his passes were completed for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns (in addition to four rushing scores) and 12 interceptions.
More from Seifert: “If anything, these events increase the chances that the Vikings will take a big swing at finding a veteran quarterback who could start in 2026. The only thing more damaging than making the mistakes the Vikings made last season would be to repeat them this year.”
Last season, the Vikings failed to prepare for the worst-case outcome, such as injury or inconsistent performance. Sam Howell was acquired to be the QB2 behind him, but his training camp and preseason revealed that he can’t be the backup in Week 1. A couple of weeks before the season kicked off, the club signed Carson Wentz — likely too late to fully connect with receivers and learn the system.
A high-level reserve (or replacement) is needed this offseason and there are countless options out there. Kirk Cousins and Mac Jones come to mind; both are still under contract. Malik Willis and Aaron Rodgers are pending free agents.
All bets are off could also include a trade option. If the Vikings are willing to move on this early in McCarthy’s career, teams without a long-term starter on the team could at least inquire. The Rams need a successor for Matthew Stafford, the Cardinals could take a shot with Jacoby Brissett, currently viewed as the QB1, and the Steelers would have to rely on Mason Rudolph.
McCarthy and other QBs will continue to dominate the Vikings news cycle for the next weeks and months. It remains an open question whether the franchise will stick with its 2024 investment and bet on coaching and development, or if it will explore other avenues.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.