J.J. McCarthy already making an impression on Vikings locker room

Sam Darnold may be the starting quarterback at this point in the season for the Minnesota Vikings, but that’s not a knock on rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, and it’s certainly not a reflection of how the locker room feels about the youngster. In an interview with Jim Rome, new Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman lavished praise upon the rookie:

“Yeah, 21 years old but a great young man. He’s a leader. He is eager to learn. A lot of young guys, sometimes they can come in, be a little timid or shy. But he’s walking round the locker room, big smile on his face, shaking hands, getting to know everybody.”

“I didn’t know much about his game before, and I knew he was an outstanding quarterback, winning followed him at Michigan. But I didn’t realize how much heat he could put on the ball. He’s got a great long ball. And even those tight windows, which close fast at the next level — he can zip the ball past a linebacker or safety’s head and squeeze it in those tight windows. And that’s very promising to see.”

Cashman, whom the Vikings signed in the offseason after two seasons with the Houston Texans, is no stranger to having a front-row seat to developing quarterbacks. Last season, he was on the Texans with Rookie of the Year quarterback C.J. Stroud. Cashman was also a rookie in 2019 with the Jets, where he played with then-second-year quarterback Sam Darnold—Darnold’s best statistical season as a professional.

While Darnold has the inside track to be the Vikings starter when the season starts, it’s only a matter of time before McCarthy takes the reins. When that remains to be seen, if McCarthy can continue his development and show the traits that Cashman sees in camp, he’ll be set up for success when his time comes.