J.J. McCarthy Sitting on a “Redshirt Year”?

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J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Photo courtesy of Andy Kenutis via Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings’ rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy is the highest drafted quarterback in franchise history. He was selected 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft after the Vikings moved up one spot to get him. Immediately after he was drafted, hype that he could start immediately was rather high.

Now that a few months have passed since the draft, that hype has slowly waned. In large part because the Minnesota Vikings have downplayed anything and everything related to McCarthy, while simultaneously pushing the successful offseason of free agent signee, Sam Darnold.

But surely, if McCarthy doesn’t start week one, he will eventually work his way into the fold, right? Maybe after the Vikings’ bye week? Well… you may not want to bet your house on that.

Is J.J. McCarthy really going to be buried on the Minnesota Vikings’ depth chart all season?

According to Charley Walters (Pioneer Press), McCarthy is preparing for a “redshirt” year in 2024, with the goal being for J.J. to take the reins in 2025. Not only is Walters hinting that McCarthy won’t see the field in 2024, but he’s also projecting him to be buried on the depth chart behind Sam Darnold (QB1) and Nick Mullens (QB2).

Vikings training camp begins in two weeks. The way it looks now, it will be a redshirt year for rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, with Sam Darnold the starter and Nick Mullens the backup. It appears the transition plan will be to turn the starting job over to McCarthy in 2025.

Charley Walters (Pioneer Press)

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Walters isn’t the only one to think that Vikings’ rookie quarterback could be QB3 heading into the season. Recently, the voice of the Minnesota Vikings’ Paul Allen (KFAN) also predicted this as well. There seems to be more and more prominent NFL voices jumping on the “McCarthy as QB3” train.

An outlook of J.J. McCarthy’s battle at Minnesota Vikings’ Training Camp this summer

McCarthy seems to have an uphill battle right now to win the starting job. The Minnesota Vikings’ coaching staff really seems high on Darnold and taking the development path very slowly for McCarthy. It seems likely that McCarthy will get some chances to prove himself in camp as head coach Kevin O’Connell has always encouraged roster position training camp battles.

What seems a bit odd is everyone projecting McCarthy as QB3 to start season. It seems feasible Darnold could be the week one starter, but for McCarthy not even to be the backup makes little sense. You don’t draft a quarterback in the top-10 if they can’t even win a backup spot.

In the end, where McCarthy will land on the depth chart will play itself out. He may win the job in training camp or actually be buried on the depth chart. O’Connell and the Vikings seem to have a very specific plan for McCarthy. His time will come, whether it’s this season or in 2025.

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