Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has made it fairly clear for quite some time now that J.J. McCarthy is second—at best—on the team’s quarterback depth chart, and he appears to be sticking to his guns with training camp underway.
While discussing McCarthy on Monday, O’Connell remained firm in his stance that he will be ensuring the circumstances are as ideal as possible for the rookie signal-caller before he sees the field.
“I don’t know if it’s the former quarterback in me, but I will not allow any factors outside what’s best for J.J. and what’s best to help the Vikings win in regards to that question,” O’Connell said of McCarthy’s status, via Alec Lewis of The Athletic .
The Vikings selected McCarthy with the 10th overall pick of the NFL Draft in April, which came over a month after they saw Kirk Cousins walk in free agency and then signed Sam Darnold.
Right now, Darnold is the No. 1 guy for Minnesota.
“I have no preconceived, pre-set chart depth chart in my mind. I said at the end of spring that Sam (Darnold) was the No. 1 quarterback,” O’Connell said, per Lewis .
When will J.J. McCarthy get a chance to start?
Will McCarthy even get a chance to play at all in 2024?
The University of Michigan product will almost surely see some snaps, but whether or not he receives any in a starting role is the main question.
McCarthy was the fifth quarterback selected in the draft, and there are many who feel he is the most raw product out of all of them.
As a result, it’s not too surprising that the Vikings seem to be taking their time with the 21-year-old. The last thing they want to do is rush him on to the field and risk ruining his confidence if he plays poorly.
The good news is that Minnesota has ample weapons for McCarthy to throw to, including wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson, who is making his way back from a torn ACL.
Of course, Addison’s status may be up in the air now after getting hit with a DUI.
The Vikings managed to go 7-10 last season in spite of Cousins missing the back half of the season with a torn Achilles, so it’s not like Minnesota is bereft of talent.
We’ll see if J.J. McCarthy gets on the field in 2024.
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The post Vikings Coach Provides Major Update On QB J.J. McCarthy appeared first on NFL Analysis Network .
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