Pro Football Rumors
The Vikings used a turnover spree to wallop the Bengals in a matchup of backup quarterbacks. Minnesota’s relief option will receive at least one more start, with Kevin O’Connell confirming Carson Wentz will be at the controls for the Vikings’ Ireland game against the Steelers.
While no ambiguity regarding J.J. McCarthy‘s Week 4 status is coming, the fourth-year Minnesota HC did not confirm McCarthy would be back at the controls when he is healthy enough to play. The Vikings want their second-year quarterback, who is recovering from a high ankle sprain, to have a full runup in practice before he is reinserted.
“First and foremost, he’s got to get healthy. And then, I don’t think it’s one of those things where it’s, hey, he’s healthy the night before a game, we’re going to throw him out there and say, ‘Hey, go figure it out’ type of thing,” O’Connell said, via ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert.
“I think we saw, as phenomenal as he was getting prepared for the Atlanta game, he did miss practice that week. And when you’re in the phase of building up the 10,000 reps and 10,000 hours of what it takes to play the position at a very high level, which we know J.J. McCarthy is going to do, you can’t cut corners on that*.** And that also doesn’t require an answer on that question today*.”
This stance will allow the Vikings to delay an answer here. The team’s definitive response will help define its season. The Vikings cleared the runway for McCarthy this offseason, passing on a Sam Darnold franchise tag and letting Daniel Jones walk in free agency. Minnesota did make an offer to the current Colts starter, but the short-lived Vikings practice squad arm viewed Indianapolis as a better opportunity to start. The Vikings then passed on Sunday foe Aaron Rodgers, who had wanted to join O’Connell and Justin Jefferson in what would have been a high-profile bridge setup. These moves gave McCarthy a clear path to the starting role he was in line to push Darnold for — before his season-ending meniscus injury — at some point in 2024.
Although McCarthy flashed during a comeback win over the Bears, he struggled during a listless Week 2 loss. McCarthy threw two interceptions and took six sacks against Atlanta. McCarthy finished with the second-lowest QBR in Week 2. Wentz benefited from the Bengals’ five turnovers Sunday but was 14 of 20 for 173 yards and two touchdown passes. This performance came after Wentz arrived in Minnesota in late August, with the team trading Sam Howell.
O’Connell pushed back on the notion of this being a McCarthy soft benching, per Seifert, but did indicate value for the young starter in watching Wentz execute. McCarthy’s time on IR last season brought significant developmental limitations, even as he could watch how Darnold operated O’Connell’s offense. Now, another hurdle has emerged. How McCarthy progresses in practice will be critical toward his return.
Wentz, 32, has been benched twice, traded twice...
