The Vikings' former No. 4 overall is expected to be the starting QB with a roster built to contend in the NFC
Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy got an encouraging update on his development this offseason. Minnesota is coming off a terrific 2024 regular season. Under third-year head coach Kevin O'Connell, the Vikings went 14-3 before bowing out to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Wild Card. But after a Pro Bowl season, Sam Darnold will no longer be QB1 for the franchise. And now the Vikings will turn to their former No. 4 overall pick under center with a roster built to contend in the NFC.
The NFC North division is expected to be loaded once again. The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are coming off playoff appearances and entering the season with expectations of contending for a Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears have had a very productive offseason and are expected to significantly increase their win total in 2025. Ultimately, at least one of these teams will be extremely disappointed about how their season turns out. The pressure is on McCarthy, but ESPN's Dan Graziano detailed how the organization is encouraged by the 22-year-old's progress so far.
“He (McCarthy) looks the way they would expect him to look at this point in his developmental process, and that’s the key thing to understand in this process. As Adam Schefter said, there’s nobody under more pressure (than McCarthy), but they don’t want him to focus on the pressure. They want him to focus on the process. Is he ready to start right now? Probably not. Can he be the first weekend in September? The Vikings believe that he can.
He’s been working on detail stuff, fundamental stuff. Remember, he lost last year due to injury, so that’s a year of development he didn’t get…Kevin O’Connell would’ve told you this time last year that Sam Darnold wasn’t ready yet to be their starter, but he believed he could get him there by the first weekend of September, and he did, obviously. They believe the same thing about JJ McCarthy.”
Overall, it will be a process with McCarthy under center, but the young QB certainly has the talent to succeed at this level. And he will need to hit the ground running as the Vikings have one of the most demanding schedules in the NFL, with nine matchups against teams that made the postseason in 2024. Minnesota expects to return to the playoffs, which is why there are sizable expectations for McCarthy in his first year as a starter. Still, based on the recent reports, the Vikings are confident that JJ is their answer at quarterback going forward and will meet the moment like he did at Michigan.
