The Minnesota Vikings are behind J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback. It is up to McCarthy to prove the Vikings’ faith in him correct.
ESPN’s Benjamin Solak believes McCarthy and the “dark horse” Super Bowl contender Vikings will “win 12 games” in 2025. His reasoning is less about McCarthy, though, which speaks to the intentional way Minnesota built out their roster this offseason.
Solak’s “intrusive thought” also came with a dose of reality for the Atlanta Falcons.
Solak wondered about the fallout if Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. struggled this coming season, particularly with former Vikings QB Kirk Cousins on the roster.
“What if the Falcons, who have not made the playoffs in eight seasons (wild!), shocked the world with a super aggressive investment in QB2 and then forced him into action way earlier than expected — only for that QB2 not to be ready?” Solak wrote on May 27, marking the 100 days until the start of the 2025 season.
“Sorry, Falcons fans, but there aren’t two sides to that coin. I think J.J. McCarthy could be the 24th-best quarterback in the league next season and the Vikings would still win 12 games. That’s the difference between a well-built roster and a haphazardly built one.”
Among the arguments, Solak noted the Vikings arguably boast the best offensive line and defense in the league next season and that they have an additional X factor in defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is also one of the best playcallers in the NFL, while Minnesota also boasts one of the best collections of skill players in the league.
J.J. McCarthy Set Up for Success After Vikings’ Aggressive Offseason Scheme
The Vikings ranked second in free agency spending this offseason in total value ($264.6 million) and guaranteed money ($153.1 million) on the 12 contracts given to veterans this offseason, per Spotrac.
That investment included three in particular that will help McCarthy right out of the gate.
The Vikings signed center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries in free agency from the Indianapolis Colts.
They also traded for former San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason, despite re-signing Pro Bowler Aaron Jones, and still have former fifth-round pick (2022) Ty Chandler on the roster.
On the perimeter, Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are a formidable duo.
They grow even more dangerous with opponents forced to account for tight end T.J. Hockenson and even WR3 Jalen Nailor.
Vikings Behind J.J. McCarthy
McCarthy’s approach has not wavered. Even after losing his rookie season to a torn meniscus, the No. 10 overall pick has remained positive and steadfast in his desire to compete for a starting spot this season.
Brett Rypien, Max Brosmer, and Sam Howell are the only other quarterbacks on the roster.
It would likely take McCarthy having a catastrophic start or, even worse, an injury for the Vikings to pull the plug on a player they traded up to select last offseason.
That is another layer of the pressure McCarthy and the Vikings face this season. They must justify the decision to bring him in and to roll with him as their starter after Sam Darnold, now of the Seattle Seahawks, had a Pro Bowl season in 2024.
The Vikings also pulled their offer to now-Colts QB Daniel Jones amid his hesitation.
Solak’s concerns, while intended for the Falcons and Penix, still apply to the Vikings, who are admittedly taking a big risk moving forward with McCarthy.
