The Minnesota Vikings have two weeks to rest and recharge after a 10-day trip to Europe that saw the team go 1-1 while battling through a slew of injury concerns.
The time off should address many of those health issues, including the high-ankle sprain that second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy suffered in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, which has kept him sidelined ever since.
However, NFL analysts have wondered aloud whether McCarthy might not get his starting job back immediately upon his return to full strength because veteran backup Carson Wentz, who was a long-time starter in the league, has led Minnesota to a 2-1 record and played reasonably well in doing so, particularly given how battered the offensive line has been since he took over the job.
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Wentz has completed 69% of his passes for 759 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions this season. Meanwhile, McCarthy has connected on just 58% of his attempts for 301 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions in one fewer game played.
It isn’t unreasonable that there’s at least a tepid quarterback controversy brewing in the Vikings’ locker room, particularly given the fact that the defense and skill-position talent in Minnesota lends itself to legitimate contention in the NFC if the play under center is adequate or better.
That said, wide receiver Jordan Addison made a comment about his bye-week plans that seem to indicate the Vikings have already made their decision.
"I’m gonna be around the building catching with J.J. McCarthy, just getting ready with him,” Addison said.
McCarthy is the team’s stated future at the position, while Wentz was a late-summer addition after the preseason made clear that Sam Howell wasn’t an appropriate answer to a McCarthy absence of any kind for any duration of time.
McCarthy was the No. 10 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 draft and is under contract for two more seasons following the 2025 season, with a fifth-year team option for 2028. Wentz, meanwhile, is playing on a one-year deal worth just over $1.4 million.
In other words, Minnesota bet big on McCarthy, so it isn’t a surprise that the franchise plans to turn back to him in his second season just as soon as he’s healthy. However, it is worth noting that if McCarthy continues to struggle upon his return to the starting lineup, this QB controversy could be a topic the team revisits.
Wentz hasn’t turned head with his play, but he’s been good enough to keep the Vikings winners during a time of significant tumult for the roster. That has to have earned him something, both in the locker room and the front office. And it could be enough to earn him another stint as Minnesota’s starter somewhere down the line, depending on how McCarthy looks across the first few games he plays following the ankle injury.
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