The Minnesota Vikings moved with conviction, trading three draft picks to the New York Jets to move one spot – from No. 11 overall to No. 10 in the 2024 draft – to select Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.
Amid an anxiously quiet room, General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah announced the pick.
“We’re cooking with gas,” Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Ryan Grigson told Adofo-Mensah in a video released by the team on May 20.
The interaction – which begins at the 5:27 mark – shows the other side of a phone call revealed in behind-the-scenes footage from the Jets in which General Manager Joe Douglas hit a Michael Jordan-like shoulder shrug and Head Coach Robert Saleh called the deal “free money.”
“Cooking with gas now, bro!” exclaimed Adofo-Mensah.
“Supposed to trade the whole farm for him up to four. We got him for a couple firsts. We’re good,” Adofo-Mensah told Quarterbacks Coach Josh McCown, referring to pre-draft speculation.
McCown responded, “The value’s good.”
McCarthy could have a long way to go before he is finally ready to be under center. But the marriage appears destined for good things.
Both sides could be perfect matches.
J.J. McCarthy Wanted to Be a Viking
GettyJ.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
McCarthy comes with a polarizing background as an unquestionable winner. But one who did not get the same level of exposure as a passer as his peers with just 22.5 pass attempts per game in his championship-winning final season in college.
He’s also a competitor who wanted to be a Viking.
The quarterback told Head Coach Kevin O’Connell he’d “run through a brick wall” for him. The newly-released footage also shows the first glimpses of that interaction with McCarthy explaining the significance of the statement.
“That’s something that I’ve only said that to two coaches in my entire life, people that I have the utmost respect for and honor for,” McCarthy said (1:36 mark). And he definitely fits that mold. And won championships with both of those guys previously. So, hopefully, we can add on to the third one.”
One of those people, presumably former Michigan and current Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is staunchly in McCarthy’s corner.
Vikings a Good Situation for 2024 Class’ ‘Best’ QB Prospect
GettyHead coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
“He’s the one who plays quarterback of all the quarterbacks that are in the draft,” Harbaugh told reporters on March 25. “There’s great quarterbacks in the draft. I think he plays quarterback the best of any quarterback in the draft.”
There is also an overwhelming consensus that McCarthy is in a good situation.
In discussing the Vikings’ Week 15 Monday Night Football tilt against No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears, ESPN’s Joe Buck touted the matchup.
“The Vikings … really well-coached, love the head coach, love the roster, and now is McCarthy what people think he can be,” ESPN’s Joe Buck said on “NFL Live” on May 20. “There’s two camps on J.J. And if the good camp is right, then I think … you’ve got the makings of two exciting young teams with good rosters that are just at the beginning of a good build.”
McCarthy also excels at a lot of the things the Vikings want to do, which bodes well for both sides.
