JJ McCarthy's electric preseason debut gave Vikings fans a high that lasted just about a day. Then, his injury diagnosis was revealed. McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus, and will undergo surgery. Most experts assume he'll miss the entire season, which ought to be the frank truth of the situation.
However, as we saw just last season with Aaron Rodgers, medicine has come a long way the last few decades. An injury that previously would have been a surefire season-long ailment may no longer be the case, and because McCarthy suffered his torn meniscus in the preseason, he could theoretically make a return if absolutely necessary. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk detailed why McCarthy could come back:
"It’s a fair question at this point. A meniscus repair typically isn’t like a torn ACL or a ruptured Achilles. Unless McCarthy’s situation is such that there’s no way he could recover before the end of the regular season or the Vikings have made the strategic decision not to use him this year at all, even if he could be medically cleared, it’s possible the Vikings will keep the door ajar — without making it a thing," Florio wrote.
Normally, I wouldn't even think to write this story, but Vikings fans have been waiting for their quarterback messiah for a long, long time. Kirk Cousins wasn't it. Sam Bradford wasn't it. The list goes on and on. McCarthy, however, was the highest-drafted QB in franchise history, and balled out in his first taste of action.
The right plan is to start Sam Darnold this season, give McCarthy a redshirt year of sorts, and let him compete for the job next summer. Yet, weeks and weeks of watching Darnold play quarterback can do unthinkable horrors to a fan, and even make them desperate enough to see McCarthy later this season. I'm here to tell you, straight up, that should not happen.
Minnesota isn't going to be very good this season. They wouldn't have made the playoffs even with McCarthy, and a postseason run looks even less likely with Darnold at the helm. Darnold somehow got the best reference of all-time from the San Francisco 49ers by sitting behind Brock Purdy. He was a great teammate and another set of eyes in the QB room. That doesn't mean he's turned his career around from would-be bust to Pro Bowl-caliber passer. Please.
But! Gaining another top-10 pick could be in Minnesota's best interest, anyway, even if it forces Kwesi Adofo-Mensah out the door in the process. Hang in there, Vikings fans, and please don't rush the future.
