Odds of J.J. McCarthy starting in 2025 altered by new Vikings report

While there is still plenty of football left to be played by the Minnesota Vikings this season, some have already begun the discussion about whether the team should roll with Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback for the 2025 campaign.

Playoff success will make it difficult for the Minnesota Vikings to replace Sam Darnold with J.J. McCarthy in 2025

Heading into each NFL season, the goal of every team is to win the Super Bowl. Currently, the Vikings are part of a small group that has a legitimate chance to end the 2024 campaign with a Super Bowl ring, and Darnold's performance this season has been a big reason why.

After a rough start to his career in the league, the veteran quarterback has reminded people why he entered the NFL as a top-five draft pick. Minnesota has helped Darnold reach his true potential and it has resulted in him putting together the best single-season performance of his pro career.

Heading into a Week 17 matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Vikings have a 13-2 record, and they can enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the NFC with home-field advantage if they win both of their final two regular-season games.

If Darnold is able to help Minnesota capture the No. 1 seed in the NFC and then earn an appearance in the NFC Championship or the Super Bowl, it's going to be very hard for the team to just kick him to the curb when the 2025 offseason begins.

But if the Vikings wind up re-signing Darnold next year, then what happens to their plans for McCarthy? Does Minnesota continue to develop him or do they possibly see what they can get in return for him in a trade?

Currently, there is no definitive answer, and there won't be for a while. The good news is that if the decision to bring back Darnold continues to get more difficult during the next few weeks, it likely means that the Vikings are still succeeding with him starting under center.