Justin Jefferson, the preeminent Vikings star player, is working on developing his relationship with J.J. McCarthy.
The team’s top receiver was forthright when chatting with the media, avoiding a political answer that mirrors the past words from Kevin O’Connell and McCarthy. Jefferson was quick to anoint the sophomore as the team’s top passer. Immediately after doing so, however, a tiny shred of doubt gets shoehorned into the mix.
The Vikings Star & The Vikings QB
If Justin Jefferson and J.J. McCarthy don’t form a strong on-field bond, the Vikings will likely be looking for a new passer before too long.
The two need to become partners in crime. Put differently, a pair that functions well alongside each other by proving to be a nightmare matchup on a weekly basis. The goal is to have every rival defensive coordinator scratching his head for how he’ll be able to concoct a strategy capable of slowing down their connection.
Consider what Jefferson had to say when asked about the quarterback’s growth: “First of all, he understands the role that he has now. He understands that he is the starting quarterback at this moment.” Not long afterwards, Jefferson doubles down, calling McCarthy “the captain of our team.”
O’Connell has proven to be a bit evasive when naming the team’s top quarterback. So, too, has the quarterback himself eschewed the chance to argue that he’s the top option, instead deciding that he’d rather preach about the merits of working hard to earn his spot as the QB1.
Justin Jefferson doesn’t appear particularly interested in playing these verbal games. Instead, Jefferson is acknowledging the obvious: McCarthy is the starter and therefore the team’s main captain.
The slight hiccup arises when Jefferson adds on “at this moment.” In all likelihood, we’re talking about just a meaningless blip, a quick cluster of words that aren’t meant to undermine McCarthy. Rather, the intention is likely to signal that McCarthy’s spot as the team’s starter is a new thing, something he has ascended to for the current moment and with the expectation that he’ll remain as the top passer.
However, a skeptic — any of those surrounding the Vikings? — may take those words as a signal that things aren’t fully settled. At this moment, J.J. McCarthy is the starter. Will there come a moment in the not-too-distant future when he isn’t?
In March, the Vikings made a halfhearted effort retain Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones (something Dustin Baker gets into). The team also participated in an Aaron Rodgers dalliance, openly flirting with the headache of a human due to his otherworldly skill. The decision was to stay the course with McCarthy, moving ahead with a sophomore passer who was constrained to mental progress rather than physical progress as a rookie.
So, at this moment, J.J. McCarthy is going to be throwing the ball to Justin Jefferson. That precise dynamic — being able to deliver the ball to #18 consistently — will be among the most crucial factors when determining whether McCarthy’s ascent to QB1 is a momentary event or one that lasts for several years.
