Former Vikings GM predicts when J.J. McCarthy will start

The Vikings community is talking about when J.J. McCarthy will start for Minnesota. The Vikings went out and grabbed veteran Sam Darnold this past offseason to a one-year deal, and they have full confidence in Darnold starting the whole year—or until McCarthy is ready.

McCarthy is a proven winner. He won a state title in high school, went 27-1 as the starter at Michigan, and won a national title. However, the pundits are skeptical about McCarthy because he played in Jim Harbaugh’s run-first offense with the Wolverines. Either way, the Vikings drafted McCarthy 10th overall and will hand him the keys to the franchise at some point.

But that goes back to the question of when. Former Minnesota GM Jeff Diamond, who works for the 33rd Team, predicted when every first-round QB taken in the 2024 NFL Draft would start. Diamond believes McCarthy will earn the starting job in Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Minnesota plays the Rams on Thursday Night Football in Week 8, which would give McCarthy 10 full days to get ready for the Colts. Plenty of people have thought McCarthy may start following the Vikings’ bye week in Week 7 against the Lions, but Week 9 is a possibility as well.