BroBible
The first year of the J.J. McCarthy experience with the Minnesota Vikings hasn’t gone according to plan for either the team or the sophomore quarterback.
McCarthy, whom the Vikings selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, has completed just 57.3 percent of his passes for 1,450 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in nine starts this season.
And while the Vikings are 5-4 in those starts, the feeling around Minnesota is that the team could have been far better with strong play at the quarterback position.
McCarthy will be back in Minnesota in 2026. That much is almost assured. But that doesn’t mean that he’ll be the team’s starting quarterback.
Diana Russini of The Athletic reports that Minnesota wants to bring in competition for McCarthy in the offseason after he failed to convince the organization that he’s their QB of the future.
“Quarterback J.J. McCarthy will return to the Minnesota Vikings next season, but that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be the starter,” Russini states. “The Vikings were looking for emphatic proof this season that he’s the long-term answer, and because of a series of injuries, they never got it. Over the next few months, sources say, Minnesota plans to explore established options via trade or free agency to strengthen its quarterback room.”
Journeyman quarterback Carson Wentz served as McCarthy’s backup this season, while rookie Max Brosmer also received a start when Wentz went down with an injury.
If the Vikings are looking for a competitor for McCarthy, they may not have to look far. Green Bay Packers backup Malik Willis, who has impressed in relief of injured starter Jordan Love, is said to be interested in pursuing options as a starter in the offseason when he is set to hit free agency.
Willis was a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans before being traded to Green Bay ahead of the 2024 season.
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