JJ McCarthy
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J.J. McCarthy is returning to practice this week.
The Minnesota Vikings‘ bye week could not have been better timed for J.J. McCarthy.
After salvaging their two-week trip across the pond with their 21-17 win over the Cleveland Browns, the Vikings will ramp up McCarthy during their week off in hopes of the second-year QB starting after their bye week, against the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 19.
Though they went 2-1 with backup quarterback Carson Wentz, the Vikings came seconds from a winless European trip. Wentz threw a game-winning TD pass to Jordan Addison with 25 seconds left to help boost Minnesota to 3-2.
The Vikings remain a game behind the first-place Detroit Lions (4-1) and are percentage points behind the Green Bay Packers (2-1-1) for second place in the NFC North.
J.J. McCarthy Will Ramp Up During Minnesota’s Bye Week
McCarthy had missed Minnesota’s past three games with a high-ankle sprain but will dial up his practicing while the team is off and remain in the Twin Cities during the bye weekend, according to coach Kevin O’Connell.
“It will be this week. He’ll be here. We’ll be able to get him some extensive work, kind of as we lead into next week, and then I anticipate his workload building up,” O’Connell said. “We’re going to really take advantage of that bonus [practice] Monday, not only with him, but with our whole team.”
O’Connell told reporters Monday that McCarthy had been chomping at the bit to get on the field, even though the Vikings don’t play until next Sunday.
“J.J. got some work today, and he’ll get some work throughout the rest of the week,” he added. “We’ve got some other guys he’ll be getting some work with on the field, and then we’ll pick it up officially next week. But I’m encouraged about where [McCarthy is] at right now.”
McCarthy has completed 58.5 percent of his passes and thrown for 301 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing for 50 yards and a TD in his two starts.
J.J. McCarthy Has Made Progress Even While Missing Three Games, According to Kevin O’Connell
You’d think for a player that missed his entire rookie season, then three more games in his first season as starting quarterback, McCarthy would be really far behind, especially in O’Connell’s unique offense.
Yet, according to O’Connell, McCarthy has been doing all the right things while rehabbing his ankle injury.
“Watching closely and my dialogue with him, I think the most critical part is going to be the techniques and fundamentals of playing the position the way he worked so hard to build up throughout the spring and the summer,” O’Connell said.
Yet, O’Connell also knows he’ll need to protect the ultra-competitive McCarthy from himself in some cases.
“I think it’s going to be more about the physical side of his lower-body mechanics and then just trying to put together a game plan for him throughout practices,” O’Connell said. “‘How much can he do? ‘What’s the soreness level coming out of practices?’ To be able to try to have the most consistent level of a ramp up as we can.”