The Minnesota Vikings had a 14-3 record during the 2024 NFL season. Minnesota overachieved during the 2024 NFL season, and they will have some questions to answer for the upcoming 2025 NFL season.
Sam Darnold was the starting quarterback for the Vikings for the 2024 season. He signed a new contract with the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason. J.J. McCarthy is in line to be Minnesota’s starting quarterback for the 2025 NFL season. He tore his meniscus during the preseason in his rookie season. Will McCarthy be ready to perform for Minnesota in 2025?
NFL Insider Questions How Ready Is Minnesota Vikings Quarterback J.J. McCarthy For the 2025 Season
McCarthy is only 22 years old. He was the 10th overall pick by the Vikings in the 2024 NFL Draft from the Michigan Wolverines. Before the 2024 season began, McCarthy and Darnold competed for the starting quarterback job before McCarthy got injured.
Well, Matt Holder of bleacher reported went into depth for each NFL team about one potential question after OTAs occurred. The one question he had was, “Is J.J. McCarthy ready to start?” Well, he is not the only person wondering if he is ready to start for the Vikings or not. Holder said,
“Between recovering from the knee injury that cost him his rookie season and stepping into a new role, there are plenty of reasons to question J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings’ starting quarterback.
In other words, the second-year pro is being given the keys and will have to overcome plenty of challenges this season, the first being figuring out Minnesota’s defense in practice.
“McCarthy was trying to fit the ball into a tight window to receiver Justin Jefferson,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote on June 1. “The Vikings’ defense was playing aggressive coverage, so much so that cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. jumped and rose above Jefferson’s hands to tip the ball to linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. for an interception.
“…A few periods after Murphy forced the interception, he blitzed and came free off the edge, seemingly surprising McCarthy as he swiveled into the pocket. This time, McCarthy reacted quickly and checked down to an open receiver.””
There is a chance that McCarthy could start slow and then pick up the pace as the 2025 NFL season progresses. There is a chance that the Vikings could also take a step back in 2025. One of the biggest issues for Minnesota may not be quarterback play. They addressed the offensive line issues in the offseason and the offensive line may need time to gel.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell has a ton of confidence in the former Wolverines quarterback to get the job done in 2025. McCarthy will have Aaron Jones in the backfield to hand the football off too. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison is one of the best wide receiver tandems in the NFL. T.J. Hockenson is also a very reliable tight end in the Vikings offense. There is no excuse for McCarthy to not perform well during his first full season as the starting quarterback for Minnesota.
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