Daily Norseman
What draft day surprise do you think will happen?
2025 NFL Draft: Predicting This Year’s Biggest Draft-Day Surprises
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My Surprise? The Vikings will not draft a defensive back in the first round
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Why the Vikings Are Betting Big on J.J. McCarthy
Note: I am only including some of this story. It is well worth the read.
Kevin O’Connell can’t say with any level of certainty what would’ve happened had the meniscus in J.J. McCarthy’s right knee held up. But he does know what he was looking at just before McCarthy sustained the injury, as his then-rookie quarterback ascended on the practice field, before translating his steps there into the Minnesota Vikings’ preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.
McCarthy had done enough, at that point, to at least provoke discussion in the Minnesota building.
“It started showing up more and more,” O’Connell told me Thursday. “And that’s always a real positive from my perspective, when you can really start stacking coaching points on to things that he’s showing improvement on or ownership of. His overall understanding of our offense, the comfort level, even in the reps, whether it was versus the No. 1 defense or in competitive situations in practice, you were starting to see him play faster but under control while still maintaining the principles that we’re coaching.”
This isn’t a team in a reset that can afford to sacrifice games in the name of quarterback rearing. Minnesota won 14 games last year, with a strong core of veterans that have every right to feel like they’re close. That’s why, in the end, the Vikings made bids to keep Sam Darnold first, and then Daniel Jones, to insure the position as best they could. It’s also why they had to consider the idea of Aaron Rodgers.
It’s also why the decision now to lock in with McCarthy is significant. The Vikings’ whole approach this offseason was to not leave their fate to chance. Now it’s up to the 22-year-old to show that by going with him (and, for now, him alone), Minnesota really didn’t.
But we’re starting with a story that, to me, is as fascinating as any in the NFL right now—and that’s where the Vikings are at quarterback.
It’s McCarthy’s show, and he’s going to get runway to affirm that over the next two months.
There’s a lot on the line for everyone involved.
“We won’t know until we get out on the grass with him,” O’Connell says. “But my expectation is he’s going to have a great spring and we’re going to feel really good about him going into training camp.”
*Given the team the Vikings have, there’s a lot...
