Purple Rumor Mill: J.J. McCarthy’s 2024 Status, Trishton Jackson, Shaquill Griffin
VikingsTerritory’s Purple Rumor Mill is a two-day chronicle each week. All the week’s Vikings rumors are lassoed and plopped in two spots — articles on Saturday and Sunday — for review. Today is the August 17th edition.
Purple Rumor Mill: J.J. McCarthy’s 2024 Status, Trishton Jackson, Shaquill Griffin
Remember — rumors are rumors. What you read on weekends in these pieces is what the world is talking about pertaining to the purple team, not necessarily items that will come to fruition.
Here’s the first batch of the week. All past rumors can be read here.
Rumor: Vikings fans thought J.J. McCarthy’s 2024 season may not be over because the team hadn’t placed him on injured reserve.
This one was a heatseeker for about two days.
Pro Football Talk led the charge, advancing an idea that McCarthy, in theory, could return in 2024. Mike Florio wrote Thursday morning, “Vikings have yet to place him on injured reserve, which would indeed end his rookie season. If they wait to do it until after the 53-man rosters are set, he could potentially return later in the year.”
“It’s a fair question at this point. A meniscus repair typically isn’t like a torn ACL or a ruptured Achilles,” he added. “Unless McCarthy’s situation is such that there’s no way he could recover before the end of the regular season or the Vikings have made the strategic decision not to use him this year at all, even if he could be medically cleared, it’s possible the Vikings will keep the door ajar — without making it a thing.”
But the McCarthy theories died with this tweet from the Vikings’ social media team on Friday:
It’s a done deal. McCarthy cannot come back at all in 2024.
Rumor: Trishton Jackson could make Minnesota’s 53-man roster as WR4 or WR5.
Following Minnesota’s joint practices with the Cleveland Browns this week, Justin Jefferson pounded the table for Jackson: “He’s a dog. He’s from Detroit. He has that Detroit mindset. Just the way he comes to work every single day — he’s a hooper, so he knows how to move and how to get open.”
Jackson also stood off the page last weekend in Minnesota’s preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The club’s leading receiver, he notched 4 receptions for 100 yards on the nose and a touchdown — on 5 targets. The man looked phenomenal.
“The catch point of the ball, he’s definitely making plays out there. He’s showing up every time on the film, so the more he shows up, the more has a chance to be out there on the field on Sundays,” Jefferson added.
Of course, Jefferson doesn’t create the 53-man roster, but the team’s best player endorsing Jackson cannot hurt.
Rumor: Shaquill Griffin will be back by the start of the regular season.
In what feels like years ago, because of various bits of bad Vikings news, Griffin injured his hamstring three weeks ago. Since, the team hasn’t provided many updates on his prognosis, but head coach Kevin O’Connell said Thursday that the goal is to have Griffin back by the start of the regular season, which is 20 days away.
He did not play in Preseason Game No. 1 and probably won’t see action this weekend. However, Griffin is on tap to start per Minnesota’s unofficial depth chart at the moment, so keen eyes have monitored his recovery, and O’Connell’s update was helpful.
If Griffin’s recovery oozes into the regular season, the Vikings would likely start Akayleb Evans at cornerback in his spot — or hope that a deal with recently hosted free agent Stephon Gilmore comes to fruition.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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