Vikings Player Called Out as a Top 2025 Bust
In 54 days, J.J. McCarthy will take the keys to the Minnesota Vikings enterprise, debuting his first-ever NFL game at Soldier Field on Monday Night Football.
Bleacher Report labeled one Vikings player as a possible “biggest bust” of the 2025 NFL season. It’s a weird prediction, especially in the Vikings’ orbit.
Minnesota hasn’t showcased a rookie — or almost rookie in McCarthy’s case — since 2014 with Teddy Bridgewater, so the excitement is palpable, the suspense through the roof.
But according to Bleacher Report, Vikings fans evidently must be on “bust” watch with McCarthy.
J.J. McCarthy Gets Bust Treatment from a National Media Outlet
Say it ain’t so — is the general reaction from fans.
Bleacher Report Calls J.J. McCarthy Vikings Top ‘Bust’ Candidate
BR’s Kristopher Knox named a bust candidate from each NFL team this week, and sorrowfully, he settled on McCarthy for the Vikings.
He explained, “To be fair, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has never taken a regular-season snap in the NFL. The 2024 first-round pick out of Michigan made a brief preseason appearance as a rookie before undergoing season-ending knee surgery.”
“The Vikings aren’t about to ditch McCarthy if he plays at a below-average level in 2025. Yet, the former Wolverine is going to face sky-high expectations in what is essentially his inaugural campaign.”
It’s worth noting that McCarthy’s meniscus recovery has been completed with no hiccups.
“Minnesota won 14 games with Sam Darnold last season, then allowed Darnold to depart in free agency in order to hand the keys to McCarthy,” Knox continued.
“Add the injury to the fact that McCarthy was never viewed as an elite prospect—the B/R Scouting Department ranked him 33rd overall on its final 2024 board—and it’s not hard to envision McCarthy experiencing his fair share of growing pains this season.”
A Brutal Selection
Many players on Knox’s list were secondary players, so to speak — and not the QB1 or main hope for the future.
In that vein, the nomination of McCarthy felt particularly brutal, as fans desperately want the 22-year-old to transform into a long-term QB1 solution. Of course, McCarthy’s placement on a preseason “bust” docket means absolutely nothing. He can dispel the narrative in about eight weeks.
It’s just that readers of Knox’s work would rather see a non-McCarthy candidate. Predicting the golden boy as a bust is vicious summer handiwork.
Plenty of Time to Develop
Meanwhile, even if McCarthy doesn’t set the world on fire like Patrick Mahomes in 2018, Justin Herbert in 2020, C.J. Stroud in 2023, or Jayden Daniels in 2024, he’ll have ample time to mature. This brand of Vikings leadership has hinted for months that organizations fail quarterbacks before quarterbacks fail organizations, meaning all of Minnesota’s eggs rest in McCarthy’s basket.
The Vikings merely need McCarthy to trend in the correct direction this season, establishing a building-block year for the future. Suppose he performs better than expected — well, great. On the whole, though, McCarthy’s development will be a long-term process.
Other Vikings Bust Candidates?
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spent the 2025 offseason beefing up his roster for a Super Bowl window. Most of Knox’s bust selections were newcomers from the offseason for each NFL team, and if one materializes for Minnesota, it will likely be due to injury.
Some other purple bust candidates, with injury concerns in mind, might include:
- Javon Hargrave (DT)
- Aaron Jones (RB)
- Jeff Okudah (CB)
All have some level of injury concern based on recent history. Stay tuned.
Cooper Kupp Gets the Same Treatment in Seattle
Knox also called one of former Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold’s new targets, Cooper Kupp, a bust candidate.
He wrote, “Quarterback Sam Darnold earned plenty of consideration here, as the 2025 Pro Bowler is coming off of the first good season of his NFL career and is now with a new team.”
“The prediction here, however, is that Cooper Kupp will be even more disappointing. This isn’t to say that Kupp won’t be a quality contributor when he’s at 100 percent.”
Kupp was gently linked to Minnesota in free agency but picked the Seahawks instead.
Knox added, “The issue is that the 32-year-old has struggled to stay healthy since his 2021 All-Pro campaign. Despite his ongoing injury issues, Kupp was picked to help replace DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and was given a three-year, $45 million contract to do it.”
“At this point in his career — and with a new quarterback in Darnold — it’s actually hard to envision Kupp meeting expectations.”
Knox also noted on Joe Flacco in Cleveland: “Any fans hoping to see a repeat of Flacco Fever are going to be disheartened. Assuming Flacco even beats out the other three quarterbacks, he’s not joining a roster that is a QB away from postseason contention. The 2023 Browns had the league’s top-ranked defense, and Cleveland has regressed significantly on that side of the ball since.”
Vikings training camp is 12 days away.
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