JJ McCarthy
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Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy looks to make the most of year two after injury.
Minnesota Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy has the keys to the offense, but there’s a lingering question before it’s full speed ahead for the purple.
ESPN’s Ben Solak addressed that question on Tuesday in his look at the second-year quarterbacks around the league from a signal caller-heavy 2024 draft class. McCarthy played the least out of all of them in 2024 because of a meniscus tear surgery and recovery.
“It’s important to see how McCarthy looks, especially on the move after his major knee injury,” Solak wrote. “But as long as he’s athletically back, there are plenty of reasons for optimism.”
McCarthy threw passes during organized team activities, and he had highlights along the way. The former No. 10 pick out of Michigan will look to fill the shoes of Sam Darnold who left in free agency, and that’s despite just a few preseason snaps in 2024.
“On those plays, McCarthy threw a nice backside dig to Jalen Nailor, took a big shot to buy time for Trishton Jackson on a crosser, threw off-platform into a pick and lofted a beautiful deep ball into a bucket for a touchdown. I remain wholly unconvinced there’s anything meaningful in these dropbacks against the Raiders’ backups last August, but it’s all I’ve had to watch.”
Vikings ‘Are About as Close as It Gets’
JJ McCarthy
GettyJJ McCarthy only had 19 snaps of preseason experience before injury sidelined him in 2024.
The Vikings won’t need McCarthy to match Darnold’s career year in 2024 on his own. Minnesota has plenty of talent around the 2023 national champion signal caller.
“We know that although there’s no such thing as a QB-proof offense, the Vikings are about as close as it gets,” Solak wrote. “Their pair of easy separating receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are known for their route running and quickness, but it’s their ball tracking and catch radius that really make them QB-friendly — they erase inaccuracy, especially down the field.”
“The Vikings were one of the heaviest pre-snap motion teams last season, as well as one of the heaviest play-action teams, and coach Kevin O’Connell pulls both levers to create easy reads for his quarterback,” Solak added. “Minnesota’s retooling of its interior offensive line [drafted Donovan Jackson, signed Will Fries and Ryan Kelly] should lead to an improvement in the running game as well, shortening third-down distances and reducing the number of dropbacks for McCarthy as he ramps up to NFL speed.”
J.J. McCarthy’s Progress Still Could Be ‘Tricky’
While McCarthy looks healthy, the Vikings haven’t hit game speed yet, and a torn meniscus “can be a tricky recovery” as Solak noted. In addition, McCarthy “needed a second procedure in November to address swelling from his first surgery” as Solak wrote.
“We also know the Vikings poked around the veteran quarterback market this offseason, though their need for a QB2 justifies that search more than any lack of faith in McCarthy as QB1,” Solak added. “And we also know they had no real interest in extending Sam Darnold at market price, which further implies they like McCarthy. Then again, we know they traded up to take him with the No. 10 pick, so we didn’t really need much proof that they liked him.”
That said, the Vikings added Sam Howell, who has starting experience, this offseason as a backup. After Howell, the Vikings have Brett Rypien and Max Brosmer on the depth chart.