Questions Answered: J.J. McCarthy Panic, the Jordan Addison Outcome, Vikings TE1
The following questions are about current Minnesota Vikings topics, answered by VikingsTerritory. Today is the July 16th edition, addressed in a from-the-hip fashion. If you have questions, please email them to [email protected].
Questions Answered: J.J. McCarthy Panic, the Jordan Addison Outcome, Vikings TE1
Also, please note: These are opinion-based responses. Some answers will be incorrect from time to time. But we’ll try to keep that to a minimum.
Q: Are you panicked or worried that J.J. McCarthy hasn’t signed his rookie contract?
Answer: Nope — not one bit.
McCarthy will be needed around this time next year unless Sam Darnold throws 40 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Summer-of-2024 controversies with the rookie quarterback are essentially moot. They would escalate the moment Darnold is no longer part of the organization.
Additionally, Minnesota generously paid Kirk Cousins for six years, unshy about handing that man guaranteed sums of cash. It won’t suddenly get cheap at the sport’s most important position. Even if McCarthy indeed wanted his signing bonus upfront, well, the Vikings will eventually oblige.
Someone will compromise — probably the Vikings’ front office — and Minnesota has more than enough time to mitigate the matter. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah didn’t draft a quarterback of the future just to tell everyone, “Well, this guy wants too much of his signing bonus, so he won’t be playing for us.”
And — the deal will probably be done by Sunday when training camp gets underway.
Q: Is there any way the Vikings cut Jordan Addison to set an example?
Answer: Oofta — no, probably not.
Last year’s reckless driving incident didn’t really move the needle in the form of discipline, so while it’s on the mind of Vikings fans, it wasn’t an NFL-involved matter.
Like yesterday’s question on the topic, details are important. If Addison was drunk-drunk, the outcome might vary. For now, everyone waits on the information-gathering process.
On the whole, no, we don’t think Minnesota would cut Addison.
Q: Who will play TE1 if T.J. Hockenson misses the start of the regular season?
A: Our prediction is Robert Tonyan.
Why? Experience. Josh Oliver is a marvelous tight end, but his specialty is run-blocking. The Vikings love Johnny Mundt, and he’ll get a few targets, per usual. After that, it’s Nick Muse and N’Keal Harry, the WR convert.
We don’t think Muse or Harry will have the juice to upset Tonyan. He’s played in 85 career games.
Of course, Tonyan will take a backseat the moment Hockenson is back, but Hockenson’s injury timetable is up in the air.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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