J.J. McCarthy finally got a real look with the New York Giants on Sunday, and the conversation around his future didn’t stay on the field for long.
In Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints, the former Minnesota Vikings first-round pick attempted 21 passes and completed 11 of them. It wasn’t a sparkling line - 52.4% completion rate - but he still managed 243 yards and a touchdown, enough to at least make the case that he can be a usable option for New York. At 23 years old, there’s still room for that to grow into something more.
That’s where Dave Portnoy comes in. The Barstool founder, owner, and University of Michigan fan has been high on McCarthy for a while, and after watching him land with the Giants, he made it clear he thinks Minnesota never gave him a proper shot.
“I never thought he got a fair shake in Minnesota. He never got a fair shake.
He got hurt right away and then never got back in the flow. I’ve always been a JJ fan.
I saw what he did every single game at Michigan. I said when the Giants got him, they got a winner,” Portnoy said, H/T Heavy.
The argument isn’t hard to follow. McCarthy played only 10 games for the Vikings and went through multiple injuries during his stint there, so he never really had the runway to settle in. That much is plain.
What he showed at Michigan is still part of the appeal, and that’s why it’s not unreasonable to think he could become a quality player down the line. Whether he ends up being the right answer for the Giants this season is another question, and there are still questions about what happens next year with Jaxson Dart returning. But if McCarthy can get himself back on track, there’s at least a path toward becoming a solid NFL quarterback.
In Other News...
Vikings Rookie Could Be Forcing A Linebacker Decision
Jake Golday has spent most of his first NFL season on the margins of the Vikings defense, but the rookie linebacker is starting to make a case for a larger role. With the team coming out of its bye week, Minnesota has reason to take a harder look at its depth at linebacker, especially with defensive coordinator Brian Flores signaling that the younger players will need to help carry the load moving forward.
Goldays recent work has put him on the radar at the same time Ivan Pace Jr. has seen his own snaps trimmed, creating a little more room for movement in the rotation. The Vikings do not need to force anything if the fit is not right, but they do need answers as the season stretches on, and Golday has put himself in position to be part of that discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Blake Cashman Just Gave Vikings Fans Another Reason To Believe
Blake Cashman has become one of the quieter reasons Minnesotas defense has looked so sturdy through the first five games. In his third season with the Vikings, the linebacker has supplied 2.5 sacks and has been one of the teams most disruptive pass rushers, leading the club in QB pressure rate among players with at least 30 pass-rush snaps. With Minnesota sitting at 5-0 and backing that record with a top-ranked defense, Cashmans rise fits neatly into the bigger picture of a group that has found a way to look both fast and connected.
Cashman has also been willing to talk about the bigger prize, and that matters in a market that has waited a long time for a true championship run. He spoke openly about wanting the Vikings to win a Super Bowl and what it would mean for the state, which is exactly the kind of mindset a locker room can feed off when the season starts to feel like something more than a hot streak. For now, the defense is doing its part, and Cashman keeps adding to the sense that this team is not just winning early but chasing something far more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings' 5-0 Start Just Reopened A Huge Quarterback Debate
A 5-0 start has a way of changing the conversation, and for Minnesota it has revived one of the biggest questions hanging over the franchise: what comes next at quarterback? The Vikings are winning now, but none of their current passers is signed beyond this season, which has pushed the long-term outlook back into focus even as the team enjoys its best early run.
One name that keeps surfacing in the speculation is Justin Herbert, whose profile still fits the kind of franchise solution teams dream about when they think bigger than a single season. Herbert has not been at his peak lately, but his talent and contractual status make him the sort of option that could alter Minnesota's trajectory if he ever became available. For now, though, the more likely path may be the one the Vikings have already leaned into: keeping the quarterback room relatively affordable while developing a drafted talent like J.J. McCarthy. [Read more 🡒]