ESPN Identifies Almighty Question Mark for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 roster is in pretty glorious shape, at least in fans’ estimation.
ESPN Identifies Almighty Question Mark for Vikings
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has thoughtfully constructed a depth chart this offseason, rounding out his “competitive rebuild” plan since taking the top job.
And according to ESPN, the only thing left to wonder about this season is the quarterback — J.J. McCarthy.
It’s J.J. McCarthy as ESPN’s Question Mark for Vikings
The sports media giant identified a post-draft question mark this week for each NFL team, and when it stopped at the Vikings, Kevin Seifert name-dropped McCarthy as the primary “if.”
He wrote, “Is J.J. McCarthy ready to take over as the starting quarterback? The Vikings have spent the offseason building a championship-caliber team around their young quarterback, who has recovered from a torn right meniscus that sidelined him for his rookie season. They spent $106 million to add new center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries, while drafting new left guard Donovan Jackson in the first round.”
“They also re-signed running back Aaron Jones and traded for a strong No. 2 runner in Jordan Mason. All that’s left now is to find out, via OTAs and minicamp, whether McCarthy can lock down the starting job heading into training camp.”
There you have it. Minnesota’s top question mark is the most important position in sports.
Vikings Football Really Just Is about McCarthy’s Development
Truth be told, Seifert isn’t wrong.
Adofo-Mensah’s entire career in Minnesota really boils down to McCarthy’s ascension to the QB1 job. If he transforms into a Top 1o or Top 12 quarterback — maybe even better? — the young executive will be immortalized in the Twin Cities. Minnesota hasn’t successfully drafted a quarterback in 26 years, with Daunte Culpepper as the last example.
Thankfully for McCarthy’s sake, the roster around him is excellent, possessing very few deficiencies, which is music to the ears of a young quarterback.
On the whole, if McCarthy succeeds — essentially if he’s better than Kirk Cousins — Minnesota will cook for at least the next four years. If McCarthy is middling or bad, well, it’s back to the draft drawing board in three or four years.
McCarthy Is Confident
Left up to McCarthy personally, there are no question marks about himself over the 2025 Vikings.
Reporters asked McCarthy on Tuesday if he thought he was ready to start this season. He responded, “I know I’m ready to start.”
“Because all the work I put in and just the confidence in my skills and abilities, and just being able to do my job and simplify things to the best of my ability every single day and just taking one day at a time, one play at a time and, you know, I have a tremendous coaching staff, a tremendous group of guys around me that I can lean on and they can lean on me.”
Exactly what a team wants from its QB1.
Other Possible Question Mark?
ESPN did not nominate a secondary question mark, but one could make an argument for cornerback. Minnesota re-signed Pro Bowler Byron Murphy Jr. in March, a sigh-of-relief deal in Vikings fans’ perception. Without him, the purple CB room would’ve felt grim.
But after Murphy Jr., Adofo-Mensah will bank on newcomer free agent Isaiah Rodgers thriving in the CB2 role. Otherwise, players like Mekhi Blackmon, Jeff Okudah, or Dwight McGlothern would have to emerge.
Basically, the Vikings have no “sure thing” at CB2.
ESPN on Vikings’ New Main Rival
The new top rival for Minnesota, the Detroit Lions, owns a question mark as well.
ESPN’s Eric Woodyard wrote, “Why didn’t the Lions prioritize drafting an edge rusher? The Lions drafted an edge rusher, but it didn’t happen until the sixth round, when Detroit took Boise State’s Ahmed Hassanein. Lions GM Brad Holmes prioritized selecting the best available players over drafting for positional needs and came away with a strong crop of players with the ability to contribute immediately on both sides of the ball.”
“But that hasn’t satisfied those wondering whether the Lions will bring in more help at defensive end. Although Pro Bowl player Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport are returning from season-ending injuries, this year’s draft class was viewed as a deep one for ends, and Detroit didn’t land one until Day 3.”
No purple fan will be too upset that Detroit confusingly didn’t add more pass-rushing beef this offseason.
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