The Minnesota Vikings will be doing J.J. McCarthy both a huge solid and potentially a catastrophic disservice by throwing him into the fire as the team’s starting quarterback in Week 1.
McCarthy is 22 years old. He missed his rookie season with a serious knee injury. He then watched from the sidelines as Sam Darnold, the former No. 3 overall pick long thought to be a bust himself after failing with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, led Minnesota to a 14-3 record and a playoff appearance.
Now McCarthy is healthy, and the Vikings have handed over to him perhaps the NFL’s best offense. Minnesota has significant talent wide receiver (Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison), running back (Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason) and tight end (T.J. Hockenson, Josh Oliver). The franchise also spent huge, both in free agency and draft capital, to rebuild the offensive line around left tackle and anchor Christian Darrisaw, who is likely to return to action early this year after a mid-season ACL/MCL tear in 2024.
The one place the Vikings don’t have depth is at quarterback. They let Darnold walk to the Seattle Seahawks in free agency, while Daniel Jones left for the Indianapolis Colts this spring as well. Both Darnold and Jones appear likely to start in their new homes in 2025.
That leaves McCarthy, entirely inexperienced, as the starter with the narrow safety net of Sam Howell as his QB2. Minnesota is betting huge on the second-year signal-caller, and while the opportunity is great, the pressure will be even greater.
Krisopher Knox of Bleacher Report on Thursday, June 10, predicted McCarthy will fold under the weight of those expectations, projecting him as the Vikings “biggest bust” of 2025.
Multiple Factors Working Against J.J. McCarthy Having Big Season for Vikings in 2025
Knox added the caveat that Minnesota isn’t likely to move on from McCarthy if he does struggle next season, as the quarterback still has three full years remaining on his $22 million rookie contract.
The Vikings aren’t about to ditch McCarthy if he plays at a below-average level in 2025. Yet, the former Wolverine is going to face sky-high expectations in what is essentially his inaugural campaign.
Add the injury to the fact that McCarthy was never viewed as an elite prospect — the B/R Scouting Department ranked him 33rd overall on its final 2024 board — and it’s not hard to envision McCarthy experiencing his fair share of growing pains this season.
Vikings Trying to Capitalize on Roster Model of Value QB to Win Super Bowl
Knox is using the term “bust” relatively loosely in his analysis, as people typically refer to a player who washes out with his initial team, and/or out of the entire league, in such a manner — Darnold after three poor seasons with the Jets, for instance.
The Vikings will give McCarthy more rope beyond 2025 because of the value his contract represents at the most important, and often most expensive, position on any roster. Minnesota can spend big around a player making less than $5.5 million in annual average salary in a strategy that has proven successful before.
The Seahawks won the Super Bowl with Russell Wilson (2013-14) on a rookie deal. The Kansas City Chiefs won the title with Patrick Mahomes on his first contract (2019-20) and got back to the big game the following year (2020-21). The San Francisco 49ers also eared a Super Bowl appearance with Brock Purdy on a rookie-scale agreement in 2023-24.
