J.J. McCarthy Has to Be Back for Good
J.J. McCarthy has made a habit of missing games throughout his NFL career. The 2024 first-round pick has played in just six games this season for the Minnesota Vikings. Last year, he suffered a season-ending knee injury during the preseason. To suggest he’s been available for head coach Kevin O’Connell would be laughable.
J.J. McCarthy is back for the Minnesota Vikings, and with five games left, he absolutely needs to show a level of future belief.
The reality is that McCarthy was a questionable prospect coming out of Michigan. As Jim Harbaugh’s quarterback, he often turned and handed the ball to the running backs behind him. That could work in the NFL, but he needed to show a more well-rounded skill set that included a true ability as a passer.
No More Injuries Allowed for J.J. McCarthy
Unfortunately, we have seen neither with the Vikings. Kevin O’Connell hasn’t exactly leaned into the running game despite being given Jordan Mason this offseason. He also has a quarterback who throws rockets all over the field, and more often than not, they wind up in the hands of defenders.
Now back from a concussion that kept him from playing against Sam Darnold, the rubber meets the road. Minnesota has five games left, and the results don’t really matter. In fact, it would be more beneficial in the long run for the Vikings to lose. Draft positioning is on the table, and even if it’s Kwesi Adofo-Mensah pulling the levers, a greater chance to hit should be the desire.
That said, this is where McCarthy can prove something. There is no excuse for him to miss any more time. There is no reason he shouldn’t take noticeable steps each week moving forward. O’Connell is clearly frustrated as he waits for his teaching to sink in. The fact that his quarterback still must operate with wet cement tendencies is not a positive at all.
It’s doubtful that McCarthy returns to the field and looks like Drake Maye. Minnesota would have loved to draft the New England Patriots quarterback, but they are stuck with the guy they’ve got. What they need from McCarthy is a level of competence that reasonably suggests he has a future in this league.
You don’t draft quarterbacks in the first round hoping they can become veteran journeyman backups. That would be a lofty goal for McCarthy at this point, but he needs to show he can compete and battle for a starting position. There is still time and opportunity for that to happen. If it doesn’t, though, then everything takes a very ugly turn.
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