J.J. McCarthy has been in the NFL for just two years, but he already seems like a failed experiment. The Minnesota Vikings drafted the quarterback out of Michigan with the 10th overall selection, but he has produced barely anything. Now, he’s the backup to Kyler Murray.
The 23-year-old missed his entire rookie season after tearing his meniscus during the preseason. He was replaced with Sam Darnold, who rejuvenated his career and carried Minnesota to a 14-3 record. Last season, McCarthy got his first chance as a starting quarterback, but did not display the same talent and promise he had shown in college.
How Has McCarthy Been A Failure?
Through 10 games last year, McCarthy threw 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and ranked 32nd in passing yards. He also had the worst completion percentage in the league, becoming the first, first-round pick since 1970 to do so. He did win six games, but the Vikings failed to make the playoffs, mostly because of a lackluster offense.
After just one season, he’s now a backup quarterback. With a top-10 pick in 2024, it’s immensely disappointing and frustrating to see a player with lofty expectations fall apart so quickly. What’s even worse is that he appears to have shown little, if any, improvement this offseason.
One of the biggest reasons this decision hurts McCarthy is that, even if Murray succeeds, Minnesota may just let him walk like Darnold. This shows that the Vikings aren’t even willing to risk putting their former first-round pick out there because he will hurt the team offensively. Instead, they’re in favor of starting a potential one-year rental.
Murray was signed to a one-year, veteran minimum deal in the offseason and was recently named the official starter for Week 1. He will be the fourth different starter for Minnesota in the past four years. The decision was made before any preseason games, revealing how behind McCarthy is compared to Murray.
The 29-year-old has spent the past seven years in Arizona. He’s coming off a season where he threw for 962 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions in five games, also posting the worst QBR of his career (which was still better than McCarthy’s). Murray was a Pro Bowl quarterback just a few seasons ago, and could rejuvenate his career in a similar way to Darnold.
In 2024, Darnold was signed to a one-year deal. After a successful campaign, he was given a much more lucrative contract with the Seattle Seahawks and went on to win a Super Bowl. Now Murray may not win a Super Bowl in the next two years, but he has every reason to put everything he has into this season for a shot at a comeback.
Looking At The Vikings As A Team
Outside of the uncertainty at quarterback, Minnesota has a talented offense. Justin Jefferson remains one of the best receivers in the game. Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings are skilled complementary receiving options, alongside tight end T.J. Hockenson. Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason create a solid running back duo, and the offensive line, if healthy, is a borderline top-10 unit.
The defense, led by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, has the potential to be dangerous. Recent draft picks Dallas Turner and Caleb Banks will get plenty of looks early on, and linebacker Blake Cashman is an experienced leader in the middle of the defense.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell runs an extremely detail-oriented offense that requires excellent timing and precision. It may take Murray some time to feel truly comfortable in the offense, but McCarthy had a full season to do so and clearly never got it. If the new free agency signing holds off his younger competitor, the experiment of drafting McCarthy will be a confirmed failure.
