The Minnesota Vikings finished the 2024 season with a 14-3 record. The Vikings had Sam Darnold start the whole season at quarterback because J.J. McCarthy was out for his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus.
Things are going to look much different behind center for Minnesota in 2025 compared to 2024. Darnold is no longer with the team as he signed a new contract with the Seattle Seahawks. McCarthy is preparing to be the Week 1 starter for the Vikings. With a team that will have Super Bowl expectations, they are placing a lot of pressure on the former Michigan Wolverines quarterback to produce results right away.
The Athletic Wonders What J.J. McCarthy’s Progress Will Look Like With the Minnesota Vikings As Mandatory Minicamp Begins
Mike Jones of The Athletic wrote many different headlines entering mandatory minicamp later this week. One of the headlines he talked about was Vikings quarterback McCarthy’s progress with the team. Jones said,
“The Minnesota Vikings have pledged loyalty to McCarthy, their 2024 first-round pick, who missed his entire rookie season while rehabbing from a torn meniscus suffered during the preseason. Rodgers wanted to continue his career with the Vikings, but after extensive deliberations, Minnesota opted to proceed with McCarthy as its quarterback.
The Michigan product has spent these offseason practices working his way back into a flow and, thus far, has impressed teammates with his leadership skills. McCarthy hasn’t been perfect, but coach Kevin O’Connell dismissed any McCarthy hiccups, calling this the learning stage. If McCarthy emerges from the offseason unscathed, he should remain the starter for Week 1.”
He is going to be one of the quarterbacks who gets one of the biggest spotlights during mandatory minicamp and also training camp. There were some talks about Minnesota bringing in quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the 2025 NFL season, but general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell are committed to McCarthy not only for this year, but for years to come.
There will be a lot of talent for McCarthy to work around. Aaron Jones will be the starting running back, Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison will be the top two wide receiver options, and tight end T.J. Hockenson will be another focal point of the offense. Another question for this Vikings offense other than McCarthy will be the offensive line.
They spent some money in the offseason to fix the offensive line. The offensive line did not perform well in the NFC Wild Card Round against the Los Angeles Rams, and it was one of the reasons why Darnold did not perform well in that game. If the offensive line performs well, there is no excuse for McCarthy to not perform well, and it all starts with mandatory minicamp.
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