The Minnesota Vikings came into the NFL offseason needing to make some major decisions at the quarterback position. Kirk Cousins ended up leaving in free agency to join the Atlanta Falcons, which left the Vikings look for a new starting quarterback. Enter both Sam Darnold, who was signed in free agency, and JJ McCarthy, who was drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
At this point in time, there are many mixed feelings on who should be the starting quarterback to begin the season. It seems that most believe that Darnold will end up being the Week 1 starter.
One NFL scout, who spoke to NFL Analysis Network about the Vikings’ quarterback situation, revealed a bold prediction for McCarthy.
“I do think that Sam Darnold will end up being the starting quarterback in Week 1. The Vikings aren’t going to rush McCarthy to start immediately. However, I will say, I do think McCarthy will take over as the starter by Week 6.”
Breaking Down The Vikings’ Situation With JJ McCarthy, Sam Darnold
Simply looking at the quarterback competition from the outside, Darnold does appear to be the favorite to start the season. He has a lot of NFL experience and has found success in recent years when given the opportunity.
Also, the Vikings do not want to force their rookie quarterback onto the field before he’s ready. He’ll get great experience during the preseason and learning from the sidelines for a chunk of the season would be valuable for him as well. Being able to sit for five games and watch the film from games could be exactly what he needs.
However, the fact that Darnold is not a quarterback that’s going to be a long-term answer or drive a team to playoff contention also become a factor. Even at this stage in their respective careers, McCarthy is a much more explosive playmaker and has a better arm.
There are two ways that this move would make sense and one or the other will happen. If the Vikings start slow to begin the season and Darnold is struggling, making the move to McCarthy would be a logical decision. On the flip side, if the Vikings start fast and are looking like a playoff contender, they could improve their chances even more by throwing a better all-around quarterback on the field.
Of course, there is always the chance that they start Darnold and simply play him for the entire season. That is an option, albeit one that doesn’t seem as likely as McCarthy taking over at some point in the season.
No matter what ends happening, the Minnesota Vikings are in a good place with JJ McCarthy as their future under center. He has a lot of developing to do, but he’s capable of playing immediately. It will be interesting to see when he sees the filed this season.
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