Vikings make it very clear they won’t rush J.J. McCarthy
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Vikings start training camp this week at TCO Performance Center, and the powers that be have a very clear plan at quarterback.
If you want J.J. McCarthy starting Week 1 at the New York Giants, you will likely be disappointed. As he did for the entire offseason workout program, Sam Darnold will be getting the majority of plays at quarterback with the first-team offense.
What it means
Darnold signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Vikings after Kirk Cousins left in free agency. Darnold is the No. 1 quarterback entering training camp, and the job is his to lose. He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but has had a tough start to his NFL career.
McCarthy is likely pushing Nick Mullens for the No. 2 job, though the Vikings can carry three active quarterbacks on game days. There appears to be no rush to get McCarthy to play in his rookie season.
What they’re saying
The plan seems very clear as the Vikings start training camp: Unless Darnold gets hurt or struggles immediately running the offense, Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will take their time with McCarthy and let him learn the offense, and develop for the future.
"Our decision to bring J.J. here was really out of the belief that we feel we can put together a plan that helps him become the best player and best quarterback that hopefully he can become. I don’t know if it’s the former quarterback in me, but I will not allow any factors outside of what’s best for J.J. and what’s best to help the Minnesota Vikings win," O’Connell said.
O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah are each entering the third year of four-year contracts. They’ve won a division title, lost a home playoff game and missed the playoffs altogether. If the Vikings start slow this season, the clock on their futures might start ticking. But they’re not going to let that impact decision-making at quarterback.
"When we get hired to do these jobs, they ask us to do them in a certain way, at a certain level. They ask us to try and win championships. That’s the question Kevin and I always ask ourselves, are we setting the team up to do that?" Adofo-Mensah said. "I talked a lot about minimizing regret in the past, I’m never going to sit on the couch when it’s all said and done, good or bad, and regret doing the right thing by J.J. even if it comes with consequences."
Timeline
In a perfect world, Darnold starts the season and plays well enough that the Vikings extend him, or he lands a pay day elsewhere. In that instance, the keys get handed to McCarthy for 2025.
The Vikings hold their first practice of training camp Wednesday at TCO Performance Center. Saturday is the first day open to fans. Next Monday, they put pads on for the first time.