One year after Sam Darnold had a successful season in the Twin Cities, the Minnesota Vikings made the audacious offseason choice to switch from Darnold to second-year pro JJ McCarthy.
Now that Darnold is in Seattle, McCarthy is gradually assuming command of the Vikings’ offense just nine days before mandatory minicamp.
McCarthy is a lethal, effective quarterback who seems to be in control of the Vikings offense just months after suffering a torn meniscus injury that kept him out of action for the whole 2024–25 season, according to a statistical analysis of his performance at Vikings OTAs that was made public this past weekend.
McCarthy has led the Vikings in OTA passing and maintained a close relationship with Vikings standout Justin Jefferson on and off the field.
McCarthy has completed an incredible 58-of-66 passes during OTAs, placing him among the league’s best quarterbacks in practice, according to a National Football League post on X.
He has thrown for 23 touchdowns with one interception and completed 88 percent of his throws.
One observer tweeted the most recent statistics update and added, “JJ is proving why he’s a top QB,” with a lightning bolt emoji.
During last season’s Vikings camp and preseason action, McCarthy displayed a great deal of promise.
Although it’s unclear how long it will take, his rifle arm and fast feet could position him to emerge as one of the NFC’s top quarterbacks in the coming years.
Even in a division full of young, talented teams like the Packers, Bears, and Lions, McCarthy’s veteran club and solid supporting cast raise expectations for his first season in Minneapolis.
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