J.J. McCarthy didn’t do much to quiet the questions around his progress in Minnesota’s preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday.
The clearest example came on a 4th-and-Goal at Baltimore’s one-yard line. McCarthy had Myles Price wide open on the right side of the end zone, but instead of making the easy throw, he fired one of his trademark piss missiles over Price’s head and left the play empty.
Baltimore answered later with a much cleaner execution on a similar look. Facing a 3rd-and-5 from Minnesota’s eight-yard line, undrafted rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano connected with LaJohntay Wester for a touchdown.
That sequence only sharpened the contrast. An undrafted rookie who played his college football at Maine and UConn handled the kind of routine throw McCarthy missed.
And while it’s only one preseason snap, the larger issue hasn’t gone away. After two exhibition games this summer, McCarthy’s development as a quarterback appears to be moving in the wrong direction.
He already lost the QB1 battle to Kyler Murray earlier this month, which was expected, but the preseason still offered a chance to stack positive moments against second- and third-team defenses. Instead, the early returns have only fueled more doubt.
McCarthy is in his third year with Minnesota, and the expectation is that he should not be struggling with a throw that an undrafted rookie on the other sideline can make without issue.
So where does that leave the Vikings? For some, the obvious answer is a trade, even if Minnesota likely wouldn’t get anything significant back. Another option is simply to keep the 23-year-old around and hope something finally clicks.
But based on what he has shown so far, banking on a sudden breakthrough feels like a long shot.
If Kevin O'Connell were somehow forced to answer without the usual word salad, it wouldn’t be shocking to hear that the Vikings would rather just cut McCarthy, take the loss, and move on.
The problem is the fear of McCarthy somehow finding a way to become the next Sam Darnold. That possibility may be enough to keep Minnesota from making a clean break this summer.
For now, the more likely path is more explanation, more spin, and more talk about McCarthy being the No. 2 quarterback to open the regular season. Then, when the Vikings face the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, the quarterback Minnesota drafted 10th overall in 2024 may not even be active.
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J.J. McCarthys preseason debut for Minnesota was supposed to be a longer audition, but it ended early against the Baltimore Ravens after an undisclosed injury forced him out of the game. Before leaving, he had completed 5 of 10 passes for 81 yards, and Kevin OConnell said McCarthy was slated to play more before the injury limited his night. McCarthy has described the issue as minor and not something he expects to affect his availability.
Even so, the Vikings are still sorting through their quarterback depth chart, and McCarthys brief appearance only adds another layer to a competition that remains unsettled. With Kyler Murray entrenched as the starter, the backup spot is still very much open, and Minnesota now has to balance McCarthys recovery with whatever evaluation time remains in the preseason. [Read more 🡒]
Former Vikings Coach Is Creating A Concern Minnesota Knows Too Well
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For Minnesota, that kind of development brings back a familiar concern. The Vikings know how much a coach can shape the trenches, and Kuper now has a chance to prove himself in a new setting while his old team watches another familiar face try to build a line into a strength. The real answer will come with time, but Philadelphias early returns at least suggest the transition is off to a promising start. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Offense Is Giving Fans A Debate They Did Not Want
Two preseason games in, the Vikings have already given their fans an uncomfortable conversation to have. The first loss came with the offense looking out of sync across the board, as young quarterbacks J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer both struggled to find much traction, while the running game has not offered much relief either.
There has even been unease in 7-on-7 work with Kyler Murray, adding another layer to an offense that has not yet settled into a rhythm. Minnesotas ground attack is averaging less than four yards per carry with no touchdowns through two games, and for a team trying to sort out its identity before the games count, the questions are piling up faster than the answers. [Read more 🡒]