When the regular season in 2025 begins to represent the Minnesota Vikings JJ McCarthy as their QB1.
But as head coach Kevin O’Connell said at NFL’s annual spring meeting on Monday in West Palm Beach, Florida, the prominent difference has not yet been earned.
“I feel really, really positive to the path we will bring JJ from a development point of view, from an acceleration of reps,” said O’Connell. “And he will take advantage of a seasonal value of reps from the low season program to obviously train camps and be in a competitive situation when our quarterback room is completed.”
Even when the Vikings entertained signing free agent Aaron Rodgers, O’Connell was in contact with McCarthy in “Borderline Real Time” to set up him for any development. Rodgers, who remain unsigned, has maintained contact with O’Connell since their playing days and made the first contact with Minnesota after he was released by the New York Jets.
O’Connell said that the Vikings have high expectations on McCarthy but decided, as a franchise, they did not want to resist Vetting Rodgers as an alternative to protect McCarthy.
“… Aaron Rodgers is a four times NFL etc. and someone who not only myself, but we have all had so much respect to compete against him,” explained O’Connell. “And he was at a time in his career where he was free to have a real dialogue about what his future might look like. And we happened to be one of the teams he reached.”
General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah clarified the preferred result of the Offseasonish mixture at the Quarterback position would be McCarthy entering the starting role. He was essentially a professional red sweater in 2024 after being prepared 10th in total due to a knee surgery after the extract, and Sam Darnold went 14-3 to put the Vikings in the NFC playoffs as a wild card.
McCarthy took mostly “visual reps” but was in quarterback meetings and game planning sessions to become acquainted with O’Connell’s communication style, expectations and huge offensive playlist.
“I think it is a responsibility for me as PlayCaller to make sure that I build a report in addition to demanding a standard for the position from a very early time here with JJ which I think he will meet and challenge himself to meet daily,” said O’Connell. “Very happy to see him do it.”
-Field level media
