There’s a J.J. McCarthy Update … with a Catch
Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy tore his meniscus during his first-ever NFL appearance last August, dazzling onlookers beforehand with his sweet performance and hitting the shelf indefinitely thereafter.
There’s a J.J. McCarthy Update … with a Catch
In his stead, veteran passer Sam Darnold took over for the Vikings, leading the purple franchise to a 14-3 record and a one-and-done showing in the postseason.
So, now, fans wonder about McCarthy’s trajectory for the long haul while also contemplating Darnold’s future in Minnesota. Well, SI.com‘s Albert Breer provided an update this week: McCarthy is doing great, but the door shouldn’t be closed on Darnold’s 2025 return.
“The Minnesota Vikings are really happy with J.J. McCarthy. He’s back moving around and throwing, and will have a full offseason following August’s meniscus repair and a subsequent second procedure in the fall that turned out to be more of a cleanup than anything else. In turn, Minnesota now has some flexibility with Sam Darnold,” Breer wrote Monday.
Darnold is scheduled to test free agency in five weeks, and some team could pay him $35-$45 million per year. It’s unclear if the Vikings have the spending power for such a contract, especially after just ending the Kirk Cousins era of budgeting.
Breer then mentioned Darnold’s return to the Twin Cities: “That said, I don’t think that means you close the book on Darnold in Minnesota. The Vikings are still projecting performance with McCarthy, and the team is coming off a 14-win season, which means the brass almost owes it to the veteran to do everything it can to make sure the most important position on the field will be in good shape in 2025. But with the feeling that McCarthy can at least be a solid starter, the Vikings don’t need to act out of desperation.”
In the last three offseasons, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has shown ardor for “hedging his bets” at multiple positions, meaning welcoming Darnold back could enable him to have the best of both worlds. It’s just that Darnold will be quite expensive this go-round.
Breer concluded, “So, if Darnold’s contractual demands are in line with where the Vikings see him, then great. If not? They could tag him at around $40 million, and maybe trade him. Or tag him and keep him for a year. Or they could let him go to free agency and find out — I would guess that he lands in the Baker Mayfield ballpark on a new deal.”
There’s also a misdirection element. Minnesota could be saying all the right things about Darnold — “we want him back” — to drive up his trade price tag. The Vikings can apply the franchise tag to Darnold and trade him to the highest bidder if they’re in the mood.
But no matter what, McCarthy is trending positively, which is music to the ears of all fans.
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.
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