J.J. McCarthy Plan Highlight Changes of Vikings Preseason Schedule
The Minnesota Vikings, like every team in the NFL, have just three preseason games this season. That changed to four when the league decided to go to an 18-week regular season schedule. The preseason used to be predictable when it came to how starters would be utilized.
J.J. McCarthy is ready to take over for the Minnesota Vikings, and he’ll be under center for the first preseason game against the Houston Texans.
That isn’t the case anymore, but at least the Vikings’ plans for J.J. McCarthy’s playing time have come into light. Although the team hasn’t officially announced anything, NFL Draft analyst Thor Nystrom is reporting that the starting quarterback will be under center for the first game.
Vikings Plan for J.J. McCarthy in the Preseason Turns Heads
With McCarthy kicking off the exhibition schedule against the Houston Texans, it’s clear that Minnesota wants to get him back on the field as soon as possible. McCarthy was sidelined all of last season after suffering a knee injury in the preseason against the Las Vegas Raiders. They are going to get him action against game speed right out of the gate, and then appear they will put him on ice.
The preseason has little impact on solidified NFL starters. Although the expectations for McCarthy in his first NFL season vary greatly, there is plenty of reason to believe he can quickly become an impact talent. If he hits the field against the Texans, he’ll have the opportunity to remove goosebumps and settle back in on a field that cost him his rookie year.
There is no real need for McCarthy to play in either of the final two weeks of the preseason. He will have already established a presence on the field and can continue to work behind the scenes in practice. Additionally, the New England Patriots are in town for joint practices leading up to their preseason game against Minnesota.
It’s more than defensible to suggest that McCarthy can learn and develop more from the week of practices against Mike Vrabel’s squad than he will through a couple of possessions that weekend. The former Michigan product has heard and seen all the detractors towards his game, and when the Minnesota Vikings kick off games that matter, he’ll be ready to address them on the field.
There is nothing that guarantees McCarthy will make it through every practice unscathed, but erring on the side of caution and keeping him out of game action until it matters is more than a defensible stance to take.
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