J.J McCarthy yet to take reps with 1st team offense despite hot start in training camp

While J.J. McCarthy has gotten off to a great start during the Minnesota Vikings’ first week of training camp, the first-round draft pick has yet to take snaps with the first-team offense.

McCarthy has been taking some snaps against the Vikings' first-team defense and has showcased why he was taken highly in the first round of this past April’s NFL Draft, making some highlight-level throws and showcasing his high processing ability. However, veteran Sam Darnold has taken most of the snaps with the Vikings' top offensive unit early on in training camp.

McCarthy playing with the second unit should not necessarily be a surprise for a few reasons, but fans are alarmed that, given his early play, why McCarthy hasn’t gotten a look with the top unit for the team.

Firstly, the Vikings' entire development plan this off-season for McCarthy was to have him operate as a backup while Darnold got the starting job. Darnold is also new to the organization, and as the presumed starter when the regular season opens up, his rapport with the entire first-team offense is essential to develop.

While some reports have stated that McCarthy has outplayed Darnold early on in training camp, especially when playing against the Vikings' first-team defensive unit, it is essential to remember that head coach Kevin O’Connell has a specific development plan for the rookie signal-caller this season.

The Vikings front office and coaching staff have always prioritized not rushing McCarthy and will not overreact to one week of training camp. That said, if McCarthy continues to progress and Darnold’s play does not show growth with the starting unit, the rookie could see the field sooner than we all expected.

The Vikings kick off their preseason a week from Saturday, August 10th, against the Las Vegas Raiders. At his latest press conference, O’Connell did not reveal his plan for dividing the quarterbacks' reps.

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