Tag: J.J. McCarthy

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy shares the news every fan wants to hear

In 2025, the Vikings and their fans want to see J.J. McCarthy, and on Tuesday he shared news everyone wanted to hear. 

J.J. McCarthy did not have the rookie season that he or anyone had expected. The team was expected to transition him into the starting role mid-season after Sam Darnold got the season off the ground. Instead, McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury after his lone preseason game in August, and Darnold went on to have an MVP-caliber season.

The Vikings and their fans want to see J.J. McCarthy in 2025, and on Tuesday, he shared the news everyone wanted to hear.

During Super Bowl media days, J.J. McCarthy made virtual appearances, one of which was with Sports Illustrated. During his media spot, the former Michigan Wolverine shared that he is “ahead of schedule” and that he is excited to participate in the OTAs.

He is counting down the days to the organized team activities, saying, “I will be ready in 67 days.”

McCarthy is expected to start for the Vikings in 2025, as the team looks to build on its successful 2024 season. While replicating 14 wins is no easy task, the team is returning many key players and its entire staff from that season.

Both of those are good news for the quarterback the Vikings have invested so much in.

NFL Insider says Vikings are ‘comfortable’ with J.J. McCarthy in 2025

Despite all the chaos, one NFL insider is pointing out some news that Vikings fans may be excited to hear. 

Vikings fans are up their necks in quarterback discussions this offseason, and we are just getting into February. Sam Darnold’s emergence, along with J.J. McCarthy’s injury, created a perfect storm of chaos for the Vikings.

Despite all the chaos, one NFL insider is pointing out some news that Vikings fans may be excited to hear.

Albert Breer of Monday Morning Quarterback was on The Rich Eisen Show this week during his Super Bowl coverage and shared an update on the young quarterback. Breer shared that McCarthy is “ahead of schedule” and able to do “just about everything.”

Breer went on to explain, “He’s going to have a full offseason. So he’s not going to be limited by anything this offseason… they’d be comfortable with him as the starting QB in 2025.”

Darnold is set to become a free agent, and there have been discussions about the team placing the franchise tag on him or letting him walk. Regardless of their move, Darnold seems poised for being a security blanket for the team rather than a starter in 2025.

PFF makes an interesting choice for the Vikings priority free agent

The latest offseason talking point comes from PFF and their suggestion of which Vikings player the team cannot afford to lose. 

The offseason is usually when everyone wears their NFL general manager hat and does what they think is best for the teams. It could be trade ideas, free-agent signings, or mock drafts. Through all the chaos, every opinion presents a new line of thinking that is worth discussing to see if it fits into things.

The latest offseason talking point comes from PFF and their suggestion of which Vikings player the team cannot afford to lose.

PFF made an unusual pick for who they see as the Vikings priority free-agent target. They did not go with Stephon Gilmore, Byron Murphy Jr., or Camryn Bynum, instead they went in another direction. They chose guard Dalton Risner as who the team cannot afford to lose.

They write as their argument, “Risner made nine starts for the Vikings this season and earned a career-high 76.1 PFF pass-blocking grade. Interior protection has long been a problem for Minnesota, but Risner is an affordable option who has been around for two seasons already. . .”

While he may have a high PFF grade, anyone who watched the Vikings this year knows the interior offensive line left a lot to be desired. There is a reason we here at Vikings Wire have been mocking them guards as early as pick 24.

If they want to bring back Risner, sure. Should Risner be seen as a priority? Absolutely not, especially considering who else needs to be re-signed.

NFL Insider doesn’t see the Vikings being able to afford key free agent

One of those decisions has been discussed is Sam Darnold and as the days go on we are hearing more points to think about with it. 

The Minnesota Vikings have a healthy amount of salary cap space for the 2025 window. That doesn’t mean they want to go on a spending spree, but rather, it means they will have to make some tougher decisions.

One of those decisions, Sam Darnold, has been discussed to the point of exhaustion, and as the days go by, we hear more points to consider. Dan Graziano of ESPN recently spoke on network radio and pointed out that their salary cap space and spending rates may create an issue.

“My anticipation on Darnold is that he will probably have a free agent market that prices himself out of what Minnesota wants to do… I’ll be surprised if he’s back on the Vikings.” 
The Vikings may have expected to be unable to bring back Darnold after a near MVP-worthy season. The team signed Daniel Jones after the New York Giants cut him, but he is also a free agent, albeit a more affordable one.
The Vikings have J.J. McCarthy and are all in on him going into the 2025 season, and bringing back Darnold may compromise that message.

LOOK: J.J. McCarthy takes it upon himself to feed the homeless

He’s such an awesome dude. #GoBlue

Former Michigan football quarterback J.J. McCarthy didn’t get to play football in 2024 due to a preseason injury precluding him from action. However, he’s already working to ingratiate himself to the Minnesota Vikings fanbase in Minneapolis.

The fan favorite in Ann Arbor took it upon himself to give back to his community as he apparently went to OG Zaza pizzeria in greater Minneapolis to order a bevy of pizzas to help feed homeless people in the area. If Vikings fans didn’t know McCarthy’s heart before this post on Monday, they’re learning what he’s all about in short order with this act of service.

McCarthy spent three years in Ann Arbor and was quiet when it came to his philanthropic efforts. However, this writer can attest that he’s shown generosity in helping out with those in need, while not getting any publicity for it.

However, this time around, McCarthy is being recognized for the heart he has and certainly, it will go a long way into ingratiating himself with the Vikings faithful and the surrounding community.

Two Vikings make top 10 of PFN’s Top 100 free agents in 2025

The Minnesota Vikings have two of the league’s top ten free agents heading into the 2025 season according to Pro Football Network analysts.

It’s no secret that the team that takes the field for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025 will likely look very different from the team that did so well in 2024. The heir apparent at quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, will likely take the reins from Sam Darnold in 2025.

The Vikings currently have just one defensive back under contract through next season, meaning there could be a ton of upheaval at the cornerback and safety positions.

Minnesota is also scheduled to have nearly $70 million dollars of cap space to work with this offseason, with a ton of holes to fill. Minnesota desperately needs to get better in the trenches, on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

They should also have the cap space to bring back a number of their more prominent free agents – should they choose to do so. But who are those prominent free agents, exactly, and how likely is the team to bring them back?

One media outlet, Pro Football Network (PFN), recently dropped their list of the top 100 free agents scheduled to hit the market in 2025, and the Vikings are well represented at the top. Minnesota has two of the top 10 free agents in PFN’s list.

Coming in at number six on their list is cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. Murphy had a career year with the Vikings in 2024, and was named to his first Pro Bowl team this season. Murphy stood out for the Vikings in an otherwise shaky position group, coming down with six interceptions – tied for the league lead among corners with Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey.

Murphy was also a standout in coverage, allowing just a 76.7 passer rating when targeted and giving up just four touchdowns on the season.

With the team’s need in the secondary coupled with the amount of cap space they have going into free agency, it would make sense for the Vikings to try and retain Murphy. Murphy has thrived the past two seasons under defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

With Flores once again not getting any real consideration in the NFL’s coaching carousel, he’ll be back in Minnesota. The pair have been great for the Vikings’ defense, and it would be in Minnesota’s best interest to bring Murphy back.

Rounding out PFN’s top 10 available free agents for 2025 is none other than Vikings’ quarterback Sam Darnold. Signed in the off-season as a bridge to the rookie McCarthy, Darnold made the most of his opportunity and turned in a career season of his own.

Darnold set new career highs in attempts, completions, completion percentage, yards, touchdowns, and passer rating – most by a significant margin. He also led the team to a surprising 14-win season and had the team in contention for the top spot in the NFC until the season’s final week.

And yet, it’s unlikely that Darnold will be in Purple and Gold come next season. The reality of the situation is that the Vikings didn’t draft McCarthy with the 10th pick in the first round just to sit on the bench indefinitely.

Darnold collapsing in the final game of the regular season and in the team’s lone playoff game likely put to rest any lingering thoughts the team may have had about running it back with Darnold.

Still, it’s not a given that Darnold hits free agency. There is a chance the Vikings could work out a tag-and-trade deal with someone given the incredible season Darnold had in 2024. Darnold’s final two games may have made that scenario far more unlikely, but it may still be an option for a team desperate for a starting-caliber quarterback.

PFF tabs a Vikings player on offense to breakout in 2025

The team at PFF recently identified one player from each team as a breakout candidate in 2025. Their choice for the Vikings is no surprise.

Every season is filled with players who come out of nowhere to have stellar seasons and become “breakout” stars. This season, one of those players was none other than Minnesota Vikings‘ quarterback Sam Darnold. Darnold came from draft bust and relegated backup to having a career season and leading the Vikings to the playoffs.

Every year, the NFL is littered with stories like Darnold’s, and next season is likely to be no exception. There are a number of great candidates for “breakout” performer for next season, and the team at PFF have their eyes on one player in particular for the Vikings.

It should come as no surprise that that player is none other than quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The former first-round pick didn’t see any action in his rookie season thanks to a pre-season knee injury, but he’s likely to be the team’s starter in 2025, unless they decide to bring Darnold back for another run — which seems unlikely after the collapse he had to end the season.

All the parts are in place for McCarthy to succeed in much the same fashion that Darnold did this season. Minnesota still has star wide receiver Justin Jefferson in the fold. They still have an All-Pro caliber tight end in T.J. Hockenson, who will be well removed from his knee injury by the start of 2025.

Perhaps most importantly, McCarthy still has head coach Kevin O’Connell, who recently signed an extension with the team and took home Coach of the Year honors. O’Connell has gained a reputation for being a quarterback-friendly coach, so it’s no surprise that people are expecting big things from the former Wolverines quarterback when he does finally make it to the field.

PFF tabs a Vikings player on offense to breakout in 2025

The Vikings missed rookie J.J. McCarthy in 2024 but PFF is already starting the hype train for the 2025 season. 

The Minnesota Vikings are looking to maintain some momentum from the 2024 season when the 2025 campaign kicks off. They are expected to do that by making some changes on offense, specifically at quarterback.

The Vikings missed rookie J.J. McCarthy in 2024 but PFF is already starting the hype train for the 2025 season.

Pro Football Focus named early breakout candidates for each team for the 2025 season. For the Vikings, they went with the obvious but somehow forgotten choice in J.J. McCarthy. After the letdown in the final two weeks of the season from Sam Darnold, Vikings fans are eager to see their franchise quarterback in action.

PFF writes, “In his lone preseason start before a season-ending torn meniscus, McCarthy produced an excellent 84.0 PFF passing grade with a 75.0% adjusted completion rate. McCarthy’s play-action and rushing success should make him a perfect fit in Kevin O’Connell’s system, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if he played well as soon as next year.”

After his lone preseason game against the Raiders, the excitement around McCarthy was palpable. The success of Sam Darnold may have quelled some of it but the collapse to end the season has fans eager for his return.

In a perfect world, we are just six months away from seeing him on a football field.

Are the Vikings projected to get any compensatory picks in the 2025 NFL Draft?

The Minnesota Vikings have only three picks in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, but they could have compensatory picks coming their way.

The Minnesota Vikings did a lot in the 2024 NFL Draft to secure the future of their franchise and continue building a solid foundation. Namely, they drafted their presumed future franchise quarterback J.J. McCarthy, with the 10th pick in the first round.

But one pick in the first wasn’t enough for them, as they traded their second, third, and fourth-round picks in 2025 to come back into the first and draft edge rusher Dallas Turner.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, they didn’t see much return on either of those picks in 2024 — for very different reasons. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason, opening the door for Sam Darnold to have a career year in 2024.

On the other hand, Turner was healthy all year but struggled to see much playing time. To make matters worse for the Vikings, that trade left the team with just a first and two fifth-round picks in 2025 (also owing in part to the 2023 trade of Za’Darius Smith). But thankfully, some help might be on the way in the form of compensatory picks.

Every season, the NFL hands out compensatory picks in the upcoming NFL Draft for teams that lost significant players in the previous year’s free agency period. A complicated formula goes into calculating how many picks each team gets, and which rounds those picks will be in.

So, how many picks will Minnesota get, and which rounds will they be in?

According to the latest projection from Nick Korte of Over the Cap, the Vikings are expected to get just one compensatory pick, but it’s projected to be a third-round pick as compensation for the loss of quarterback Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons.

Getting a third-round pick back certainly helps to mitigate the team’s draft situation, but they are still strapped for picks and have a lot of holes on the roster to fill — particularly in the defensive backfield. However, the team does project to have a significant amount of salary cap space, so they figure to be big players in the free agent market this year, rather than the NFL Draft.

Analyst makes bold prediction regarding the Vikings QB situation

ESPN analyst Benjamin Solak has an interesting take on what the Minnesota Vikings should do with quarterbacks Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy.

Arguably, the biggest storyline surrounding the Minnesota Vikings this offseason and heading into the 2025 season is how the quarterback position will shake out. Last offseason, the team signed quarterback Sam Darnold to a one-year deal, hoping he would be a bridge to the rookie J.J. McCarthy when he was finally ready to take the reigns.

While that may have been the team’s initial intent, plans changed quickly, as McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury in the pre-season, officially making it Darnold’s team for the foreseeable future. Almost nobody could have predicted just how far Darnold would take the opportunity.

Not only did Darnold prove to be a competent quarterback for the Vikings, he turned in a career year under head coach Kevin O’Connell and, at times during the season, was in the conversation for MVP. Darnold fell off at the end of the year and even further in the Vikings’ playoff loss to the Rams, but the season he turned in was stellar nonetheless.

So much so that a major talking point has become, “What do the Vikings do about Sam Darnold?” One NFL analyst believes the answer is to sign the veteran quarterback to a long-term deal.

Recently, ESPN put out an article outlining their thoughts and predictions on the 2025 offseason for every team, and analyst Benjamin Solak predicts the Vikings give Darnold a new deal in the off-season, saying:

I really, truly believe the Vikings will extend Darnold. They have the room for something in the Daniel Jones neighborhood — four years, $160 million is probably optimal, if they can get Darnold to sign that before another team in the free market offers him a whale of a deal. Depending on the size of the contract, they’ll either keep McCarthy or quietly look to trade him ahead of a bad quarterback draft class and see if a needy team takes the bait.

The idea that the Vikings might opt to sign Darnold and flip McCarthy for some NFL Draft assets probably had more legs before Darnold laid an egg against the Lions and Rams to close out the season. Still, for a team strapped for assets in this year’s draft, it may be an appealing option.