Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is back in the fold after missing his entire rookie campaign with a torn meniscus. McCarthy was drafted 10th overall last year to be the Vikings’ franchise QB of the future. From the outside looking in, the future seems to be now, but McCarthy isn’t counting his chickens before they hatch.
When asked about the QB1 position in Minnesota by Kay Adams, McCarthy kept it real.
"They haven't told me,” McCarthy said. "I'm happy they didn't, because I try to earn it every single day. I never want that to be given to me. It's such a privilege and opportunity to give me that chance, and I'm just going to make the most of it every single day."
It's not official but all signs are pointing to J.J. McCarthy
With rumors of Aaron Rodgers potentially having interest in joining the Vikings, McCarthy’s status on the depth chart is still uncertain. While Rodgers' signing with Minnesota would probably end in disaster, it would allow McCarthy and the Vikings to take their time with him returning from the knee injury.
Some might worry about Rodgers’ presence potentially stunting McCarthy’s growth, which is a valid concern. Rodgers isn’t known to be the most welcoming figure when it comes to handling younger QBs who are likely to replace him sooner rather than later. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell would likely have his hands full managing that situation.
For Minnesota, their best option is to not even go down the A-Rod rabbit hole and hope that he gets something worked out with Pittsburgh or any other team. They may opt to bring in another veteran arm but it doesn’t need to be Rodgers. If he’s healthy, McCarthy will likely win out in training camp and be Minnesota’s Week 1 starter.