The J.J. McCarthy Situation Raises a Bonanza of Questions
For the fifth time in 20 months, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is injured, this time on tap to nurse a hand injury back to health, raising a bonanza of short- and long-term questions about the club’s future at quarterback.
The injury isn’t just about one Sunday — it reopens the larger debate about roster planning, quarterback insurance, and how much patience Minnesota can afford.
The first-year starter smacked his hand on the helmet of a New York Giants‘ defender on Sunday during his team’s win, and now his status is up in the air — a familiar McCarthyian storyline.
J.J. McCarthy’s Injury Forces the Vikings to Rethink Everything
Stop if you’ve heard this before; there are McCarthy-themed injury questions. These are those.
Will McCarthy Return on a Short Week?
All signs point to no fractures for McCarthy’s hand, which is good news. But that does not mean the 22-year-old is out of the woods.
Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling tweeted Sunday evening, “Further tests on J.J. McCarthy’s right hand will be used to determine whether the quarterback suffered any ligament damage, per source. Coach Kevin O’Connell said after the game he was unsure if McCarthy was able to grip the ball on the strip sack that ended his day.”
Perhaps in a normal week, McCarthy could ramp up and have time to heal, but he has four days in Week 17 because of the Christmas timing.
So, will it be McCarthy or Max Brosmer in the yuletide showdown? Brosmer is probably the safe bet.
The Offseason Is 2 Weeks Away. Can the Vikings Trust McCarthy as the Long-Term QB1?
After McCarthy settled in from six pretty gruesome starts, life was good. The young passer showed poise and production against the Washington Commanders and Dallas Cowboys, just what the doctor ordered for a struggling quarterback: bad defenses.
The only thing that could ruin his momentum? An injury. And that’s exactly what happened in New York.
Minnesota will begin its offseason in two weeks, and history doesn’t shine kindly on teams that trust an injury-prone quarterback will simply stop being … injury-prone. Will general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah put all his eggs in McCarthy’s basket as the primary QB1 solution for 2026?
Is a Seasoned Veteran QB Needed in 2026?
The answer to the question above is “probably not.” If so, the Vikings may need a veteran quarterback to challenge and mentor McCarthy, somebody like Jimmy Garoppolo, Jameis Winston, Russell Wilson, or Drew Lock.
Last offseason, the Vikings oddly “did nothing” at QB2 until April, settling for Brett Rypien in March 2025 and later trading for Sam Howell during the draft. A few months later, the team decided Howell wasn’t any good, traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles, and signed Carson Wentz.
At the very least, Minnesota likely needs a backup quarterback who is better than Wentz.
What about an Upside Reclamation QB Option?
Or — Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell could skip the seasoned veteran approach in favor of a quarterback who’s looking for rebirth. What does this mean? Well, it’s the quarterback whose upside may still be in front of him. For example, most folks know what Wentz, Wilson, and Winston bring to the table: high-end QB2 performance.
These players might benefit from Kevin O’Connell University of Quarterbacking:
- Mac Jones
- Will Levis
- Jalen Milroe
- Spencer Rattler
- Anthony Richardson
- Malik Willis
- Zach Wilson
The working theory goes like this: if McCarthy gets injured again in 2026, a passer like Richardson enters lined up, plays great, and just stays in the spot indefinitely.
It’s the best of both worlds without spending a high-round draft pick on another quarterback.
Are the Joe Burrow and Kyler Murray Trades … Real Options?
What else? Kyler Murray has likely played his last snap in Arizona. The clues are there. Arizona may release Murray or trade him to the highest bidder during the offseason. Would the Vikings inquire, given that McCarthy’s injury resume hasn’t relented?
Too, Joe Burrow has spoken like a man at the end of his tolerance in Cincinnati. The guy has flat-out told everyone in recent weeks that he isn’t happy anymore. Theoretically, he could request a trade, and for a king’s ransom, Burrow would have to be traded somewhere. Why not the Vikings in that scenario?
For Job Security, Is McCarthy Worth It for Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah?
Finally, the $64,000 question: can Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell afford to roll into 2026 with McCarthy as “their guy?” He’s played well or somewhat well for 2.5 games. Other than that, he’s missed 73% off all eligible games through 1.94 seasons. During his first six starts, McCarthy often played buffoonishly.
Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell don’t have eternal job security. They probably have to reach the playoffs — and maybe win a game — in 2026 to please ownership.
In that regard, is McCarthy worth the risk?
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