Getty Image / Adam Bettcher
NFL training camps have either gotten underway or will be getting underway in the next few days as teams get ready for the upcoming NFL season. One of the most interesting training camp battles to watch will be in Minnesota, where the Vikings must decide on a starting quarterback between veteran Sam Darnold and JJ McCarthy.
Unlike some of the other first-round quarterbacks this offseason, JJ McCarthy is having to fight for his starting job. And, he’s going to start camp as the backup to Darnold, showing the Vikings may not be confident in McCarthy being their Week 1 starter.
Kevin Seifert broke the news.
QB Sam Darnold will take the majority of first-team snaps when camp opens, Kevin O'Connell reiterated, but he does expect J.J. McCarthy to get some as well.
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) July 22, 2024
This is pretty interesting for a few reasons. First off, any time that you have a rookie quarterback, the expectation is that he will immediately step in and become the starting quarterback. McCarthy may not be as advanced of a pure passer as some of the other quarterbacks that went in the top ten like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Michael Penix. But, he was incredibly efficient last year with Michigan, and only lost a single start with the team in two years, capturing the national title last year.
The other part of this is that the Vikings are not in a total rebuild. Yeah, they originally had the 11th overall in the draft last year and traded up one spot to get McCarthy, but they were 7-10 in what should’ve been a lost season after a long-term injury to superstar Justin Jefferson and a season-ending injury to Kirk Cousins. They have legitimate talent and could absolutely be a playoff team this year.
It’s unclear how good JJ McCarthy is going to be this season. But, we know what Sam Darnold is, and that’s a replacement-level quarterback. The 2018 third-overall pick out of USC has never lived up to his potential and at this point is what he is. Are the Vikings really willing to punt a season of Justin Jefferson and TJ Hockenson’s prime with Sam Darnold? That seems like a bad plan.
That being said, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is one of the best quarterback gurus in the league, and I’m sure he will get the most out of JJ McCarthy. But, right now, their plan is pretty confusing.