Minnesota Vikings quarterback and former Michigan star JJ McCarthy is entering year two of his NFL career, and year one as the starting quarterback.
While he has one of the best offensive minds in the game coaching him up, it won't be easy to replicate the success Minnesota saw last year with Sam Darnold. After a 14-3 season in 2024, expectations are sky high for the Vikings to win a playoff game for the first time under head coach Kevin O'Connell.
On paper, McCarthy has one of the best receiving cores in the league to work with. But thanks to injuries and other off-the-field issues, the former Wolverine hasn't been able to get many reps in at training camp with the guys he'll be throwing to in the regular season.
Vikings Wide Receiver Offseason Woes
Superstar wideout Justin Jefferson is arguably the best in the league, but he has been sidelined most of training camp with a hamstring injury. Jordan Addison is a budding star and has been healthy, but once the regular season begins, he will be suspended stemming from an offseason DUI for the first three games.
When asked by ESPN's Kevin Seifert how he's dealing with the wide receiver room being in such flux throughout training camp, McCarthy downplayed the struggles.
"The process doesn't change too much, but if it is a guy that hasn't been with the offense in a long time, or hasn't been with this particular group, you just kind of emphasize the play more," McCarthy told the media.
"You kind of check in with them like, ‘Hey, you got it?' Little stuff like that. The process doesn't really change, but you just add little tweaks here and there to make sure that everyone is on the same page."
Minnesota is reportedly looking to add to its wide receiver room ahead of the start of the regular season, presumably to support the first-year starter McCarthy as much as they possibly can, with how inconsistent it's been throughout the Summer.
Even more tantalizing for Vikings fans, a reunion with former franchise hero Adam Thielen has been rumored, and would be the perfect stopgap while Jefferson and Addison reacclimate themselves in Minnesota.