HEADLINES

J.J. McCarthy

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Undergoes Second Knee Procedure

November 14th, 2024 at 11:13am CST by Adam La Rose

J.J. McCarthy underwent meniscus surgery in August, and with a full repair being required he will be sidelined for his entire rookie season. The Vikings first-rounder’s rehab process recently led to a second procedure being deemed necessary.

A biologic injection took place earlier this week, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reports. The procedure was aimed at reducing swelling in the knee which developed as McCarthy ramped up his rehab. Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune confirms the injection (rather than another surgery altogether) is the extent of what took place. Most significantly, this development is not expected to alter the No. 10 pick’s recovery timeline. Being available for the start of the 2025 campaign remains the expectation in this case.

“As his rehab has picked up, we noticed a little swelling in there and just with the time that we do have… we just wanted to make sure there was no cause for concern,” head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed (via Seifert). “All reports were very positive and he’s on the original timetable and in good shape.”

McCarthy was one of six quarterbacks selected within the first 12 picks of the 2024 draft, although his NFL ceiling has been a talking point given his limited usage in the passing game in college. The 21-year-old helped guide Michigan to an undefeated season and a national title in 2023, but the team’s reliance on its defense and rushing attack left McCarthy with greater uncertainty than many of his fellow QB prospects regarding his abilities as a passer. Minnesota nevertheless committed to him as the franchise’s Kirk Cousins successor.

Veteran stopgap Sam Darnold was atop the depth chart at the start of training camp, and McCarthy’s injury left him as the undisputed starter for the campaign. Darnold enjoyed a very strong start to the year, one which will determine his market value during the spring. He has, however, seen a downturn in effectiveness recently, including a three-interception outing against the Jaguars last week. Still, the former No. 3 pick is set to remain Minnesota’s QB1 through the rest of the year.

Beyond that point, McCarthy will obviously be the favorite to take on starting duties, especially if Darnold departs. Having missed an entire year of development, though, the former’s readiness will no doubt be a major talking point in 2025. Nevertheless, McCarthy remains on track to be fully healthy in time for the start of next year.

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Discusses Knee Injury; Latest On Team’s Development Plan

September 15th, 2024 at 11:48am CST by Rory Parks

The Vikings’ hopes to see quarterback J.J. McCarthy under center at some point this season have been dashed, as the No. 10 overall pick of this year’s draft sustained a torn meniscus that required a full repair and that will force him to miss the entirety of his rookie campaign. Nonetheless, the club obviously is still doing everything it can to ensure that McCarthy has a long and productive career in Minnesota.

As Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) reports, the Vikings have implemented “a comprehensive player development plan” to aid in McCarthy’s growth from a mental standpoint. That includes at least an hour of one-on-one time with head coach Kevin O’Connell each week and regular work with assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski.

Of course, McCarthy will remain a constant presence in the quarterbacks room and will receive the weekly game plan. The team will also use virtual reality programs to help him learn how to see the field and process game situations, and per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, the Vikings will give McCarthy access to a camera they have attached to the top of starting QB Sam Darnold’s helmet during practice. Once McCarthy is medically cleared – we previously heard that could happen this season, although the Vikings are likely to keep him on the sidelines regardless – he will be “entrenched in the process of a starting quarterback.”

As Ben Goessling of the Minnesota Star Tribune writes, McCarthy suffered both a medial and radial tear in his meniscus, although he did not realize he was injured until after he appeared in the Vikes’ preseason opener on August 10. McCarthy told reporters, including Goessling and Seifert, that his knee buckled while walking down the stairs at his home the day after the game, and by the following day, the pain was such that he realized he needed to alert the team.

“I just wanted to play it safe and play the long game and understand I could be a tough guy and tough it out and try to grit out that first start that I was going to get [the following week],” McCarthy said. “But at the end of the day, what’s best for this organization and this team is me making smart decisions, especially early on in my career. And that was one of them, to just figure this out before a landmine goes off in my knee.”

McCarthy candidly added that the severity of his injury was a “kick in the balls,” though he believes the mental reps and the other work the team has planned for him will be a boon to his development. 

The Michigan product said that work will “solidify what it’s like to go through the week and with the benefit of not having pressure to perform on Sunday. So, by the time I do play, whenever that is, next year, following year, whenever it is, I’ll be ready, and it won’t be like this is my first game.”

In the meantime, Darnold will have a full season to establish himself as a quality starter parlay his one-year, $10MM deal with Minnesota into a bigger payday elsewhere. He had a successful Vikings debut in Week 1, completing 19 of 24 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception en route to a 28-6 win over the Giants.

Vikings Sign QB Matt Corral

August 16th, 2024 at 5:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Vikings announced on Friday that quarterback Matt Corral has been signed. To make room on the roster, first-round rookie J.J. McCarthy was placed on IR following his season-ending meniscus surgery.

McCarthy’s injury confirmed Sam Darnold‘s place atop the QB depth chart for Minnesota, but it thinned the team’s number of healthy options behind him. Corral will join Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall in competing for a roster spot. In Corral’s case, of course, his efforts on that front will double as an attempt to return to the NFL.

The 25-year-old entered the league as a third-round pick of the Panthers. A member of 2022’s poorly-regarded quarterback class, Corral suffered a preseason Lisfranc injury and was sidelined for his entire rookie campaign as a result. Carolina brought in Andy Dalton before selecting Bryce Young first overall last offseason, and Corral’s performances in exhibition games were not sufficient to land him a roster spot.

The Panthers intended to keep Corral in the fold via the practice squad, but the Patriots put in a claim and prevented that from happening. The Ole Miss alum’s time in New England proved to be short-lived, though, as he found himself on the exempt/left squad list before being let go in September. No team put in a waiver claim the second time around, leaving him as a free agent. A lack of interest at the NFL level led to a deal with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions.

Corral’s decision to sign with the team left him in competition with Adrian Martinez for the starting QB role. The latter went on win league MVP honors while helping lead the Stallions to the inaugural UFL championship (earning himself an NFL audition in the process), but the former did see some game action. Corral made a total of five regular and postseason appearances, including three starts. He posted a 2:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio along with an 81.0 passer rating during that time.

Now, Corral will look to at least earn consideration for a practice squad spot with the McCarthy-less Vikings. He will share snaps with Mullens, who has one year remaining on the $4MM pact he signed in 2023, and Hall, who will be attached to his rookie contract through 2026.

Vikings’ T.J. Hockenson Could Miss Start Of Season; Latest On J.J. McCarthy

August 15th, 2024 at 1:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings’ big-picture plan features J.J. McCarthy targeting the likes of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. That vision is on hold, with the rookie out for the season due to meniscus surgery. Minnesota might not have all its skill-position pieces to open the campaign, either.

Hockenson sustained ACL and MCL tears in Week 16 last season. While Kevin O’Connell has classified the veteran tight end as ahead of schedule, it is far from certain he starts the season on time. The former Lions first-rounder remains on the Vikings’ active/PUP list, and ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert indicates the team setting its initial 53-man roster without its starting tight end included is in play.

Minnesota could shift Hockenson to the reserve/PUP list, which mandates a four-game absence to open the year. This route would prevent the Vikings from needing to use one of their eight regular-season IR activations. The Vikings could also go week to week with their top tight end, activating him from the active/PUP list and declaring him out to start the season. This would allow Minnesota to deploy Hockenson before Week 4, if he is ready, but he would take up a roster spot in that scenario.

Eight months have not even passed since Hockenson’s injury, and although players have recovered from late-season ACL tears in time for Week 1 (a certain former Vikings running back-turned-MVP comes to mind), teams regularly play it safe here. Hockenson signed a four-year, $66MM extension just before last season and was on track for a 1,000-yard showing before going down. The five-year veteran finished with 960 yards and five touchdowns, despite Kirk Cousins‘ midseason injury. Hockenson, 27, will be a critical piece of Minnesota’s Darnold-led offense upon return.

Darnold was expected to start to open the season, but McCarthy was unlikely to sit a full year. The Vikings now have no choice, and even though ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the rookie’s timetable could allow for a late-season re-emergence, it is unlikely the team takes this route. Given the investment in the Michigan prospect, it should be expected the team shelves him for his rookie year to protect him in the long term. McCarthy missing all of 2024 will make him the first Round 1 QB to do so in the common draft era (1967-present), per CBS Sports.

McCarthy’s timetable may not allow him to play with Aaron Jones, who signed a one-year deal worth $7MM in March. Jones’ year-to-year status may point him elsewhere by 2025, depending on how the longtime Packer’s Vikings season goes. Jones’ role will be interesting to monitor, as Green Bay consistently put him as the 1-A option in timeshares with Jamaal Williams and then AJ Dillon. Minnesota might have the same idea.

Ty Chandler is expected to platoon with Jones, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, with the team viewing this setup as an upgrade on its Alexander Mattison-dependent 2023 plan. That said, the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer adds Jones is the unquestioned starter.

One of this era’s best running backs, Jones has never eclipsed 236 carries in a season; the former fifth-round pick has passed 200 totes just three times in his seven-year run. Williams and Dillon cut into the dual-threat talent’s workload, though Jones rarely left doubt about who the Packers’ most dangerous RB was. Jones will also turn 30 before season’s end and missed six games last season, so it would not surprise to see Chandler — a 2022 fifth-round pick who impressed late last season — carve out a decent workload in a Vikings effort to conserve their new starter.

J.J. McCarthy Undergoes Meniscus Surgery, To Miss 2024 Season

August 14th, 2024 at 10:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings did not look to be planning to start J.J. McCarthy to open the season, but their design of an extended onramp will change. After Tuesday’s news of the rookie quarterback’s meniscus injury, today’s surgery will entrench Sam Darnold atop Minnesota’s depth chart.

McCarthy underwent a full meniscus repair, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. As a result, the No. 10 overall pick will miss the entire 2024 season. Viewing this through a long-term lens, the Vikings will park McCarthy for his rookie year. This, of course, changes the Michigan product’s developmental path.

A full repair loomed as a possibility, and this situation has escalated after Monday reports indicated the rookie was dealing with knee soreness. Instead of McCarthy seeing important practice reps and taking over for Darnold at some point this season, this will keep the younger passer off the practice field. After never taking a quarterback in the top 10 prior to trading up for McCarthy, the Vikings will continue a streak of never having a first-year QB start in Week 1 (h/t Ed Werder).

Coming into the offseason, Minnesota had not given up on re-signing Kirk Cousins. But the sides did not see eye-to-eye regarding a vision or compensation, leading the six-year Vikings starter to Atlanta. That development turned this Vikes offseason into a scouting mission, with the team acquiring a second first-round pick as ammo for a trade-up. The Vikings did not end up using that Texans-obtained selection to climb up for a passer, but they made McCarthy the centerpiece of their first post-Cousins offseason. Darnold’s stopgap season suddenly becomes much more important — both for the Vikings and the former No. 3 overall pick.

Still just 27 despite going into his seventh season, Darnold has received extensive run as a starter. Despite backing up Brock Purdy throughout last season, Darnold’s start count sits at 56. While the former Jets draftee is 21-35 as a starter, he was tied to two franchises that did not have much support around him. The Jets bailed on Darnold to draft Zach Wilson in 2021, and then-Panthers HC Matt Rhule turned to Baker Mayfield via trade in 2022. Darnold received a late-season batch of starts with Carolina following Rhule’s ouster, but no starting role opened for the USC product in free agency last year.

The Vikings did offer one, signing Darnold on a one-year deal worth $10MM and outflanking the Broncos and Commanders — though, it is unclear how serious the other teams’ pursuits went — to add him. Being saddled with shaky situations, Darnold has struggled. He has never ranked higher than 25th in QBR for a season in which he took enough snaps to qualify. This could well be Darnold’s last shot, but the outlook has changed; the imminent threat to his starting job no longer exists.

Kevin O’Connell communicated with the veteran — before the team chose McCarthy — he would be the team’s season-opening starter. As teams rarely give first-rounders full seasons to sit and learn anymore, McCarthy was widely expected to see action this season. It now turns into a mid-career Darnold audition, and the presences of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones and T.J. Hockenson — when the tight end recovers fully, that is — present by far the best set of weaponry the QB has enjoyed (excepting 49ers practices) in his NFL career.

Still, this doubles as a tough blow for a Vikings franchise that has been unable to see a quarterback development project enjoy sustained success. Knee injuries have intervened early in Vikings first-rounders’ careers as well. A severe knee injury sustained during a 2016 preseason practice shelved 2014 first-rounder Teddy Bridgewater for nearly two seasons. Daunte Culpepper‘s starter run abruptly ended in 2005, when a knee injury provided a clear line of demarcation in the passer’s career.

Veterans — from Cousins to Case Keenum to Brett Favre — have delivered Minnesota its most success since Culpepper went down. The team is now relying on a player who has offered glimpses but one that also has not come close to delivering on his draft status. And McCarthy will need to wait until the 2025 offseason to resume full-scale preparations for his first regular-season snaps.

Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy To Undergo Knee Surgery

August 13th, 2024 at 9:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

J.J. McCarthy has been dealing with knee soreness over the past few days, and he is now set to miss time. The Vikings rookie passer will undergo surgery, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

This procedure will be aimed at dealing with a meniscus issue, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network add. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has since confirmed a torn meniscus in the right knee. The outcome of the surgery will determine how long McCarthy is sidelined for. Today’s update confirms that free agent signing Sam Darnold is atop the quarterback depth chart for the time being.

Of course, Darnold was on track to operate as Minnesota’s starter to open the campaign. The former No. 3 pick entered training camp as QB1, and he is a veteran of 56 starts capable of serving as a bridge option while McCarthy develops. The latter has impressed so far in his acclimation to the NFL level, but going under the knife will halt his development at an important juncture.

McCarthy was one of six quarterbacks selected in the first round of this year’s draft, but questions have been raised regarding his ceiling as a pro passer. The Michigan product helped the team to an undefeated season and a national title in 2023, though his arm was not always a central element in the team’s success. Spending time on the sidelines in Minnesota to begin his career represented a logical plan, but that will now take place as a matter of necessity.

The Vikings saw Kirk Cousins depart in free agency, ushering in a new era under center for the team. Minnesota reportedly preferred to keep Cousins in the fold to help develop his eventual replacement, although re-signing the 35-year-old may have changed the team’s draft approach on Day 1. In the end, the Vikings wound up moving up to No. 10 overall and selecting McCarthy after failing to trade up to the third overall spot to secure Drake Maye.

A decision on which type of surgery will be undertaken will be made at the start of the procedure, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes. McCarthy’s recovery timeline is therefore uncertain at this point, but his focus will now turn to rehab while Darnold likely receives a multi-week run at the helm of the offense to start the campaign. Attached to a one-year, $10MM deal, Darnold’s free agent stock will depend on his performance in Minnesota. Today’s development paves the way for any questions about McCarthy surpassing him on the depth chart to be delayed.

Vikings Wanted Kirk Cousins To Stay As Bridge; Veteran Viewed Minnesota First-Round QB Pick As Unlikely

July 31st, 2024 at 5:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

After two long-term contracts came during Rick Spielman‘s final years as Vikings GM, Kirk Cousins received bridge treatment under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The new Falcons QB had sought a team more committed to him, though he has since said the Vikings were more likely than not to put off their long-term need for another year had he stayed.

Minnesota did not go near Atlanta’s four-year, $180MM offer ($100MM in practical guarantees), and Cousins said during an appearance on The Athletic’s Scoop City podcast with Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel had he agreed to stay it would have been through one-year contracts while the team aimed to determine his successor (subscription required).

[RELATED: Offseason In Review: Minnesota Vikings]

Cousins said Kevin O’Connell told him if he were to re-sign it would be unlikely the Vikings would draft his heir apparent this year. While Cousins stopped short of confirming O’Connell slammed the door on such a move, it is rather interesting he still ended up in a situation where a successor arrived in Round 1. The Falcons’ Michael Penix Jr. pick stands to put a clock on Cousins’ Atlanta stay, while the Vikings have Sam Darnold in place as the bridge to J.J. McCarthy, chosen two picks after Penix.

“I don’t think they were ready to go there yet in March,” Cousins said on the Vikings’ interest in drafting a first-round QB. “I think the reality is just that they wanted to give themselves that flexibility. And I remember Kevin’s words, which I’m not going to hold them to, were, ‘Hey, if we sign you back, I would think it’s very unlikely that we would draft somebody.’ It was something to that effect. But I also know in the league things change.”

Cousins’ comments contradict a recent report from ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert, who indicates O’Connell, Adofo-Mensah and ownership wanted the soon-to-be 36-year-old passer to stay — but as a bridge to a rookie who would be drafted in 2024. Neither Adofo-Mensah nor O’Connell wanted the to-be-determined rookie to play immediately, Seifert adds, though convincing Cousins — given the value he carried as a free agent — to stay on a short-term arrangement would have been quite difficult. The Falcons bringing big money to the table made it nearly impossible, as the sides battled over guarantees during the 2023 offseason.

The 13th-year veteran said he would have been more open to a bridge plan in Minnesota if that were his only option; the Falcons ensured that would not be the case. The Vikings did memorably join the Patriots in checking in on Justin Herbert, being quickly turned down by the Chargers’ new regime. The team zeroed in on a rookie soon after, obtaining a second first-round pick from the Texans; though, that became used to trade up for Dallas Turner at No. 17. O’Connell, per Seifert, informed Cousins the team would explore this deep QB class with an aim to use its highest draft slot in a decade (11th) to find its next starter.

Adofo-Mensah said before the draft the team would be comfortable with multiple options in this year’s class, but McCarthy — viewed as a Minnesota target pre-draft — impressed O’Connell at the Michigan product’s private workout. Although it seemed like the Vikings traded up from No. 11 to No. 10 to prevent the Broncos from doing the same, Seifert adds Minnesota was confident Denver would draft Bo Nix.

As for who will end up starting in Week 1, Seifert indicates the Vikings informed Darnold before the draft he would likely get the call. It should be expected McCarthy will take the reins at some point this season, but O’Connell was also in Washington when the team rushed Dwayne Haskins

“Those things [O’Connell] talked about are the reason why I have so much faith in him,” Adofo-Mensah said, via Seifert. “To take a mold-and-play like [McCarthy] with talent and traits that are as high-end as anybody, and mold him into that player we want him to be. A lot of times when we go back over history and we say, ‘These quarterbacks have missed.’ There’s a lot of hands that are dirty in that regard, and we’re going to make sure that our hands are clean and give him the best opportunity he can to be the best player he can be in this offense.”

Darnold will receive the bulk of the first-team reps during training camp, O’Connell said, though McCarthy will also receive select reps with the starters. The seventh-year vet is still the more likely Week 1 QB, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. As could be expected, O’Connell does not have a range for when McCarthy will replace Darnold — assuming the veteran is indeed the Week 1 starter. The Vikings do have a Week 6 bye, however, representing a potential transition point. Though, Darnold impressing with Minnesota’s talented skill-position corps could lead to a more extended McCarthy apprenticeship.

Vikings, Round 1 QB J.J. McCarthy Agree To Terms

July 19th, 2024 at 11:45am CST by Adam La Rose

Three rookies from the 2024 draft class were unsigned as of Friday. Two of those – quarterback J.J. McCarthy and edge rusher Dallas Turner – belonged to the Vikings, but the former is now set to sign his rookie pact.

McCarthy and the Vikings have agreed to terms, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The four-year pact will carry a value of $21.85MM including a $12.71MM signing bonus. Both figures are guaranteed in full. Minnesota will be able to keep him in place for the 2028 campaign via the fifth-year option.

Modern rookie contracts are essentially a formality around the NFL, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk recently noted the Vikings had not “engaged much” with respect to negotiating a McCarthy agreement. One possible explanation was that Minnesota was waiting for the Bears to come to an agreement with first overall pick Caleb Williams; that took place earlier this week after a number of creative attempts to set an unusual precedent regarding rookie compensation. In any event, both passers are now on the books.

Across three seasons at Michigan, McCarthy enjoyed considerable success including an unbeaten run to the national title in 2023. He finished 10th in Heisman voting last year, but questions persisted in the pre-draft process with respect to his impact on the team’s run-heavy offense. As one of the youngest signal-callers in the 2024 class, though, he was firmly on the first-round radar of teams looking to invest at the position.

The Vikings ultimately moved up one spot in the draft to select McCarthy 10th overall. It comes as no surprise that Minnesota added a passer via the draft after watching Kirk Cousins depart in free agency, but the rookie is not positioned to see the field right away during his rookie campaign. Sam Darnold – added on a one-year deal to provide a veteran replacement for Cousins – will begin training camp atop the depth chart.

Darnold could thrive in Kevin O’Connell‘s system, something which would help his free agent stock considerably ahead of the 2025 offseason. If not, McCarthy will no doubt find himself on the field at some point during his rookie campaign. The latter enters a situation with a strong array of pass-catchers (led by wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, along with tight end T.J. Hockenson) which could help him acclimate to the NFL level. Now, McCarthy can turn his attention to the upcoming start of training camp with his contract in hand.

Ten Unsigned 2024 Draft Picks Remain

June 17th, 2024 at 5:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFL collectively is ahead of where it was last year with regards to draft signings. Teams have navigated the guarantee issue second-round contracts presented in recent years. Unlike 2023, when 30 players were unsigned in late June and nearly half the second round was without contracts entering July, we are down to 10 unsigned rookies from the 2024 class. Here is the lot still without NFL contracts:

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

The clearest difference between this year and last comes from the second round. On June 17, 2023, half the second-rounders were unsigned. The 2011 CBA introducing the slot system has removed most of the drama from rookie-deal negotiations, but second-rounders continue to make guarantee gains. This contractual component has complicated matters for teams in the past, but that has not been the case — for the most part — this year.

A number of 2021 second-round picks remain attached to their rookie deals. Those terms illustrate the improvements Round 2 draftees have made on that front since. The Jaguars did guarantee 2021 No. 33 pick Tyson Campbell‘s first three seasons; his fourth brought $50K guaranteed. This year, the Bills needed to guarantee nearly Keon Coleman‘s entire rookie contract. Coleman has three years locked in and $1.74MM of his $2.1MM 2027 base salary is guaranteed at signing. This year’s No. 59 overall pick (Texans tackle Blake Fisher) secured more in Year 4 guarantees than Campbell’s deal contains.

A sizable gap does exist between Coleman’s final-year guarantees and those of Falcons DT Ruke Orhorhoro (No. 35 overall). The Clemson product has $966K of his $2.1MM 2024 base guaranteed. This gulf has likely caused the holdup for the Chargers and McConkey, a player who — after the exits of longtime starters Keenan Allen and Mike Williams — stands to be a central figure in the Bolts’ first Jim Harbaugh-era offense. With the top players in Round 2 on the cusp of seeing fully guaranteed deals, McConkey can set another notable precedent while gaining some additional security for himself.

First-round contracts have only been fully guaranteed en masse since 2022, when Vikings safety Lewis Cine — chosen 32nd overall — secured those terms. Though, matters like offset language still have been known to slow negotiations. Extended holdouts into training camp no longer occur among rookies, with players risking the loss of an accrued season toward free agency — a product of the 2020 CBA — by doing so. Corley and Benson were this year’s top third-round picks. The 49ers gave No. 64 overall pick Renardo Green two fully guaranteed years. That has likely caused a holdup for the Jets and Cardinals, considering the progress made via contracts agreed to by earlier draftees.

Sam Darnold To Open Training Camp As Vikings’ Starter

June 12th, 2024 at 10:12pm CST by Ely Allen

The Vikings are set to look very different under center in 2024. After watching Kirk Cousins go down with a season-ending injury last year, Minnesota was forced to use a mixture of Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall to finish the season. With Cousins in Atlanta now and Dobbs now a backup in San Francisco, the Vikings will be looking at two new faces atop the depth chart.

The team essentially exchanged Dobbs for former 49ers backup quarterback Sam Darnold who failed to start more than one game for the first time in his six-year career last season. Darnold was expected to return to a starting role in his replacement of Cousins, being designated as the new QB1 over the incumbent Mullens and Hall. That was, of course, barring any further additions to the room in the offseason.

The Vikings were not in a position to go after one of the top three quarterbacks in the 11th draft slot. Still, many saw the organization as one of the teams likely to go after a passer in the draft, but nobody was quite sure what lengths the team would go to in order to acquire one. Minnesota was lucky enough to see the fourth quarterback projected to come off the board start to slide down closer and closer to their pick but needed to avoid getting scooped and traded up one spot in order to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy at No. 10 overall.

Rarely these days are quarterbacks drafted in the top 10 draft picks without an expectation that they will start right away, but it appears that is the case for now. According to Kevin Seifert of ESPN, head coach Kevin O’Connell has announced that Darnold, and not McCarthy, will begin training camp as the starting quarterback.

Darnold had been running as QB1 through organized team activities this spring, and O’Connell saw no reason to change things up quite yet. Right now, McCarthy has reportedly been focusing more on individual improvement than on competition with Darnold. While McCarthy could certainly get an opportunity to win the job at the end of the summer, O’Connell stopped short of saying anything more than that he is planning for training camp to be “competitive” at many positions.

Load More Posts