Vikings HC Updates Race for QB1 after Preseason Game
After Kirk Cousins left town in March, the Minnesota Vikings invoked a two-part plan at quarterback: signing Sam Darnold for ten million bucks and drafting Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy in late April.
Vikings HC Updates Race for QB1 after Preseason Game
And through 3.5 months of McCarthy’s existence on the roster, the youngster has aced the test, looking and sounding the part of an eventual QB1 while performing wonderfully at training camp and in the preseason. The Vikings chipped off the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday 24-23, mostly because of McCarthy’s mid-game heroics.
But according to head coach Kevin O’Connell, the QB1 race seems unchanged, with Darnold the odds-on favorite to lead Minnesota into the regular season, which is just four weeks away.
The O’Connell Quote
Aside from an interception on his first drive — rookies do that — McCarthy settled in Saturday, tabulating 188 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. The guy looked great, and virtually no one would find a different takeaway.
Vikings fans were riveted by the newcomer, a natural reaction. Yet, O’Connell called McCarthy’s debut “just another glorified, singular step in the process.”
O’Connell also cited upcoming joint practices with the Cleveland Browns, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s former employer, and mentioned McCarthy: “I think we want to be smart about that development and make sure that his training camp is absolutely going to plan.”
The young head coach doesn’t appear to be chomping at the bit to get McCarthy into the opening-day lineup. He basically tapered the fallout of McCarthy’s first exhibition game, not getting overly excited. It was an even-keeled reaction from O’Connell.
The Depth Chart
Four days before the preseason win, Minnesota released a depth chart — with little mystery about QB1. Darnold lived atop the digital document, with McCarthy and last year’s QB2, Nick Mullens, vying for the primary backup job.
Interestingly, Mullens didn’t play on Saturday, instead allowing second-year passer Jaren Hall to receive ample preseason action. Minnesota evidently knows what it has in Mullens, a journeyman gunslinger who can drive the ball downfield, even if turnovers are on the menu.
Still, the takeaway from the depth chart placed Darnold at QB1, and McCarthy allegedly competing to be the backup. QB1 is not a neck-and-neck battle unless the depth chart was designed to deceive.
The Single Darnold Drive vs. LV
Moreover, Darnold received the workload of a QB1 versus the Raiders. He took snaps on the opening drive, led the club downfield before a strange 4th Down conversion attempt, and then dipped. His day finished after one drive, a strategy used by most teams with no-doubter QB1s.
If Darnold v. McCarthy were a hot summer battle, the men would’ve split snaps or at least shared them more equitably. They did not.
McCarthy may look great for a rookie, but the post-draft plan of Darnold as the “patchover” passer is very much intact. The good news? There’s really no downside to Darnold taking the baton into New Jersey against the New York Giants. McCarthy is 21 and has all the time in the world to seize the job organically.
10 Takeaways from Vikings’ Preseason Dub
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 Vikings 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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