J.J. McCarthy Puts on His Recruiter Hat
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is the odds-on favorite to lead the purple team as QB1 in 2025. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah drafted him for the assignment about nine months ago, but he tore his meniscus in the preseason, ending his entire maiden voyage campaign.
J.J. McCarthy Puts on His Recruiter Hat
And when McCarthy embarks on the 2025 season, well, he wants beloved Vikings safety Harrison Smith to be there. McCarthy put on his recruiting hat last weekend, hoping to woo Smith back for one more hurrah, which would be 14 NFL seasons for Smith if he listens.
McCarthy posted the following to Instagram with the caption #onemoreyear22:
A source told VikingsTerritory last week that Smith is “50-50” about retiring or coming back for Year No. 14, which feels like an upgrade after his postgame comments following Minnesota’s playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber asked Smith what was next for him in the offseason that Monday night, and he replied, “I don’t know. Probably chill out for a little bit, figure that out down the road.”
“I haven’t wanted to think about it, kind of selfishly live in the moment, and I’m kind of still in that moment. It’ll come when it comes,” Smith said.
Minnesota’s defense ranked second in the NFL per EPA/Play this season, and Smith was a consistent starter in the secondary. He was not “one of those” old defenders who played sparingly.
The 36-year-old added three weeks ago, “There’s a lot that goes into this. It’s not strictly players. I just want to give my thanks to everybody that makes it go. Obviously, I wish we could’ve had a better result today, but it’s a tough pill to swallow right now. It’s been one of the most fun teams I’ve ever played on in any level. There’s a lot to be said about this group, and I really just wish I had a couple more weeks with them, to be honest.”
Smith isn’t known for the dramatic — at all — so one day this offseason, he’ll either re-up with the Vikings or ride into the sunset. He also told Leber that 2024 was an “all-time high” of his career.
Minnesota drafted Smith in Round 1 of the 2012 NFL Draft, one of the finest choices in franchise history. He’s never played anywhere else nor even really flirted with the idea when his contract was up.
If Smith ignores McCarthy’s recruiting spiel, the Vikings have Josh Metellus and Jay Ward to examine as starting safeties in 2025. Smith’s teammate, Camryn Bynum, is scheduled to hit free agency in five weeks, so if Smith retired and Murphy left, Minnesota would need a safety or two. Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland, an impending free agent, is a name to monitor as a replacement.
But maybe Smith will make it easy on everyone and grant McCarthy’s wish for Year No. 14. No one is ready to see him walk away. Not quite yet.
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.