The Minnesota Vikings have been riddled with uncertainty at the quarterback position throughout much of the season due to the injury suffered by J.J. McCarthy in Week 2. Unfortunately, McCarthy still seems to be a ways away from returning to the field.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has remained incredibly patient when it comes to the eventual return of McCarthy, explaining how he wants to see his starting quarterback get a full week of practice in before he returns to action.
Given the fact that McCarthy has missed every practice leading up to Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7, it was always considered a long shot that McCarthy would be ready to return for the game.
As a result of McCarthy’s high-ankle sprain still bothering him, O’Connell confirmed most Minnesota fans suspicions on Friday, officially naming Carson Wentz the starting quarterback for the game.
Meanwhile, McCarthy will serve as the team’s emergency third quarterback in case anything happens to Wentz and his immediate backup, Max Brosmer.
Sitting at 3-2 on the season, it shouldn’t be all that surprising to see O’Connell be patient in how he is handling McCarthy’s eventual return to play.
Considering what the Vikings have invested in McCarthy after selecting him with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, airing on the side of caution for a player that O’Connell likely views as the quarterback of the future in Minnesota certainly seems like a wise decision.
However, this decision from O’Connell certainly raises some real questions as to how long McCarthy could remain out past Week 7. Especially when you consider the fact that the Vikings are set to face a short week in Week 8, traveling across the country for a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
This may very well mean that Wentz, who has performed admirably as the starter, could be set to start the next two games for the Vikings barring a drastic improvement of McCarthy’s status. So it will be interesting to see how Wentz plays on Sunday in what will be a revenge game against the team he once helped lead to Super Bowl LII.
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