J.J. McCarthy Dodged a Bit of a Bullet
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy underwent some hell in the pocket on Sunday Night Football — some of his own doing by holding onto the football too long — enduring 6 sacks and several big hits en route to his team’s lifeless loss to the Atlanta Falcons, 22-6.
J.J. McCarthy’s first two games have been a rollercoaster, and the man appears to have dodged a bullet this week.
The week has been rough for the 22-year-old, but he did appear to dodge a bullet on Tuesday: McCarthy was not placed on injured reserve after suffering a high ankle sprain.
Absence for J.J. McCarthy Won’t Be 4 Games
McCarthy will remain week-to-week.
J.J. McCarthy Not Placed on Injured Reserve
The high ankle sprain rattled everything for the Vikings early this week: the early-season outlook, McCarthy’s development, the here-and-now quarterback plan, and strategy against the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend.
And because Vikings fans are a cynical breed by trade, many thought, “Oh, what the hell, I bet he goes on injured reserve. What else could go wrong? Why wouldn’t he?” Or something to that effect.
For now, McCarthy is week-to-week and nothing more sinister.
Tuesday Probably Would Have Been the Day
Moreover, the evidence suggests that Tuesday would’ve been the time to send McCarthy to IR, if applicable. After all, Minnesota plopped running back Aaron Jones on that shelf for the next four games. The team could’ve made it a doubleheader with Jones and McCarthy.
It did no such thing, which strengthened the case for McCarthy’s injury not turning into a long-term issue.
High ankle sprains are assuredly a nuisance, but McCarthy hasn’t been knocked out for the four-game minimum. That would’ve subtracted him from the Vikings’ offensive operations until Week 8 at the Los Angeles Chargers.
The 2 to 4 Week Prognosis
The NFL powers that be, per reporting, claim McCarthy will be out two to four weeks, which sounds accurate for a high ankle sprain. Some fringe theorists believe the youngster will miss just one game.
The new worst-case scenario is a three-game absence for McCarthy, missing contests against the Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cleveland Browns. Also known as winnable games.
There’s a world where McCarthy misses those games, returns against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7, and has about 35 days to rehabilitate the high ankle sprain.
His Job No Matter What When Healthy?
There’s another matter to monitor amid McCarthy’s high ankle sprain recovery: What if the Vikings win all three games without him?
Coaches often “ride the hot hand in the NFL,” and a three-game win streak, in theory, would be difficult to ignore. Suppose Carson Wentz, McCarthy’s replacement, who was once the next big thing in 2017, plays like Sam Darnold from the 2024 campaign? Could O’Connell really bench Wentz in favor of McCarthy, who would be virtually assured to resume his raw, rookie ways?
The organization is outwardly and vocally committed to McCarthy, but Wentz playing like a Pro Bowler would thicken the plot. That — and Minnesota has an extremely long history of the backup quarterback showing up on the scene to play masterfully.
The Max Brosmer Theory
Minnesota also has undrafted free-agent quarterback Max Brosmer on its roster. The man played brilliantly in the preseason, particularly for a UDFA.
Pro Football Talk‘s Mike Florio advanced the theory that Brosmer could get a look in the next few weeks.
He explained, “At some point over the next month, will undrafted rookie Max Brosmer become the next man in? Brosmer, the only one of three backups throughout the offseason program and training camp to make it to the 53-man roster (Sam Howell and Brett Rypien are gone), played at the University of Minnesota last season.”
“And the Vikings love him. He’s not currently ready. Wentz, with 94 career regular-season starts, is — even if hasn’t been around for very long. We saw this movie two years ago. Wentz will play unless and until he squanders the opportunity. Unless and until the Vikings add another veteran, Brosmer will be the only alternative.”
The Vikings also signed veteran passer Desmond Ridder on Tuesday.
Florio continued, “The season could quickly go sideways for the Vikings, after last Monday night’s thrilling win. McCarthy has had one quality quarter in two games. And while last night’s injury likely impacted his late-game play, some Vikings fans have to be wondering whether they should have kept Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones. Or signed Aaron Rodgers. Or traded for Kirk Cousins.”
“The last part remains possible. If, when McCarthy returns, the struggles continue, the Vikings will have until the Tuesday after Week 9 to decide whether to bring Kirk home in an effort to save the 2025 campaign.”
McCarthy ranks 33rd of 34 qualifying quarterbacks per EPA+CPOE through two weeks. Only Tennessee Titans passer Cam Wards has played worse.
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