J.J. McCarthy is set to take over as the franchise quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. He will take over after Sam Darnold left town in NFL free agency and after the Vikings chose not to pursue another quarterback like Aaron Rodgers on a short-term deal.
Behind McCarthy, Minnesota has Sam Howell and Brett Rypien as their next best options. The job is clearly McCarthy’s to lose.
While the talent and potential is clearly there for the Vikings’ young quarterback, there are a lot of questions about him. He has not taken a single NFL regular snap, as he missed all of last season due to a knee injury suffered in the preseason.
That being said, a new take has been offered about McCarthy that brings up more questions.
Vikings Coach Breaks Silence on JJ McCarthy’s Progress
Colin Cowherd spoke out during a segment of his show, “The Herd,” and provided his opinion on the second-year quarterback. He’s clearly not sold on the Minnesota signal caller.
“There’s so much mystery here. Why does Minnesota keep flirting with other quarterbacks? And there are too many conflicting reports on McCarthy,” Cowherd said. “I feel like sometimes there’s a bit of a spin job here. His arm and escapeability are modest. His release wasn’t super quick. There’s no great trait.”
Plenty of rumors have come out about the Vikings having potential interest in other quarterbacks. Howell was obviously acquired during the 2025 NFL Draft. Rodgers was connected to the team earlier in the offseason and Kirk Cousins has come up as a possible option as well.
Despite the rumors of potential interest in outside quarterback options, McCarthy is still penciled in as the starter. Minnesota has opted to stick with its current quarterback room.
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McCarthy has a lot of doubters to prove wrong and a lot of critics to silence. He will have every opportunity to do so throughout the upcoming 2025 NFL season.
On a positive note for the young quarterback, he will have Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson, among others, to throw to in his first season as the starter. Aaron Jones will also be a weapon for him to utilize and will take pressure off of the passing game with his running ability.
It will be interesting to see what kind of season McCarthy can put together. A lot of pressure is on his shoulders, but he’s talented enough to handle that pressure and come through with a big season to prove the Vikings right for believing in him.
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