J.J. McCarthy is set to undergo knee surgery and could miss significant time heading into the Minnesota Vikings second preseason game this weekend amid his quarterback battle with Sam Darnold.
McCarthy had undergone an MRI which revealed that he'd need surgery, with no timeline revealed for his return. It means Darnold is now looking set to be the starter heading into the season.
The Vikings spent their first-round draft pick on the former Michigan Wolverine and national championship winner, trading up to select McCarthy after losing Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. And despite McCarthy impressing in his first preseason game last week, he is currently slated to be the backup behind the veteran Darnold.
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McCarthy caught the eye in his preseason debut, completing 11 of 18 passes for 188 yards along with two touchdowns and an interception - putting pressure on Darnold to beat him to the starting quarterback role.
But a late hit in the game saw him complain about knee soreness, before undergoing tests on Monday which revealed damage more significant than what he'd been first thought.
When asked why he would be kept out of practice on Monday, head coach Kevin O'Connell gave a positive update, stating: "Out of precaution. We're going to continue an evaluation on him and get some more testing done. [He is a] very important player, obviously, so we want to make sure we're smart before he participates, making sure we have a good understanding of where he's at."
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When last asked about their starting quarterback heading into the campaign, O'Connell indicated Darnold would likely be the guy. He told reporters: "I would say Sam would be the guy I would look to based on the spring he’s had and, really, where he’s at in his career and his quarterback journey".
However, it is now clearly that McCarthy will miss several weeks of his rookie season, perhaps being redshirted for his first year entirely should he need to while rehabbing his knee - with the Vikings potentially in a transition season.
Darnold is on just a one-year deal with the Vikings, with him likely in his last chance to earn a starting spot while on his fourth team after time with the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers.
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