QB J.J. McCarthy, MIN (3 Viewers)

[sheerterror]

It is unlikely that JJ McCarthy can play as well as Sam Darnold did in the regular season this year. That's the way I see it anyway.

Agreed, but I don't think Sam can play as well as Sam did in the regular season this year either.

 

[Gally]

Signing Darnold and trading JJ is basically like signing Cousins and passing on Lamar Jackson in the draft. This is one of the reason Speilman is no longer our GM. It is playing safe because you don't want to take a chance on the unknown. It this case the unknown is a QB who has ice in his viens and won a National Championship. As Tomlin has said, don't let good enough be the enemy of great.

And, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, the game in which he was hurt, he looked like a future star - he didn’t leave the game injured. He played through it and showed impressive touch on short throws, and an accurate cannon on a deep shot to JJ.

He looked like he was going to keep Darnold on the bench as a backup, which was seemingly the plan.

There was a lot of excitement in FF circles about JJM being a potential sleeper for about 36 hours until we learned he was hurt and would miss the season.

So it’s not like he’s a complete unknown, or like we don’t know if his skills will translate to the NFL. He showed us they will.

Missing the 2024 season didn’t help him to develop, which is unfortunate. But I don’t think the Vikings would be committing malpractice by letting Darnold walk and starting JJM. That was the plan last year. They’d just be executing the same plan.

Even with all that, JJM will effectively still be a rookie in 2025 with all the usual trappings that come with a guy who hasn't played a regular season snap.
I'm pulling for the kids, but it would absolutely be GM malpractice to let Darnold walk before the 2025 season.

Are you suggesting franchising him or signing him to a longer term contract? The drafted McCarthy for a reason, seems like a good time to make that switch imo. Yes, he lost out on playing time year. However, sitting a year and learning from Darnold may actually be a benefit in the long run for him.

If I were in the GM's shoes, I'd angle to Franchise Darnold for the 2025 season. The tag for 2024 was ~38mil. It'll likely be in the low 40s in 2025. The truth is, that's an absolute bargain for a guy who posted 4100 yards and 34TDs. It's also his first season with a QBR > 51 and I think it would be GM malpractice to sign him to a huge contract at this time.

The smart thing to do is franchise Darnold and run it back. This year was supposed to be Darnold holding down the fort until JJM showed he was ready for NFL games. It could have been all year, It could have been until the bye, it could have been a few games.

There is nothing lost just going into next year with the same plan. Give Darnold the franchise tag. It costs you one year and the Vikes have the space to do it. You can see if this year was a fluke. It gives JJM hopefully a full healthy year of being at practice, learning, developing. It seems like a win-win situation. I really don't see any other option because no matter what you think of JJM he may not be all that once he starts playing. Darnold just had a great regular season even if showed that the bright lights were too much for him. Let's see if he can do it again while JJM gets a healthy year to develop.

 

[Gally]

It is unlikely that JJ McCarthy can play as well as Sam Darnold did in the regular season this year. That's the way I see it anyway.

Agreed, but I don't think Sam can play as well as Sam did in the regular season this year either.

Which would make it easier to make a switch to JJM mid season next year (like they were planning to do this year in a perfect world).

 

[MTskibum]

The smart thing to do is franchise Darnold and run it back. This year was supposed to be Darnold holding down the fort until JJM showed he was ready for NFL games. It could have been all year, It could have been until the bye, it could have been a few games.

There is nothing lost just going into next year with the same plan. Give Darnold the franchise tag. It costs you one year and the Vikes have the space to do it. You can see if this year was a fluke. It gives JJM hopefully a full healthy year of being at practice, learning, developing. It seems like a win-win situation. I really don't see any other option because no matter what you think of JJM he may not be all that once he starts playing. Darnold just had a great regular season even if showed that the bright lights were too much for him. Let's see if he can do it again while JJM gets a healthy year to develop.

I was going to post very similar in the Darnold thread.

I agree with this, plus if you really consider yourself a playoff contender you want a strong backup QB.

 

[LawFitz]

Franchise and trade Darnold to the highest bidder even if it's a mid round pick. Re-sign Dan Jones and make him into next year's regular-season carraige and playoff pumpkin, at a quarter on the dollar. Pray that JJM's meniscus isn't going to be a chronic issue.

 

[Hankmoody]

Pray that JJM's meniscus isn't going to be a chronic issue.

This is my only concern. He was a stud in college and I wanted him in LVR badly. Still would. My only pause now is this - meniscus is avascular so can be a degenerative condition quickly - what impact might this have on him longer term? Especially with a second surgery already, is this going to be chronic?

 

[Ilov80s]

Pray that JJM's meniscus isn't going to be a chronic issue.

This is my only concern. He was a stud in college and I wanted him in LVR badly. Still would. My only pause now is this - meniscus is avascular so can be a degenerative condition quickly - what impact might this have on him longer term? Especially with a second surgery already, is this going to be chronic?

That stinks especially given his mobility is a significant part of his game

 

[LawFitz]

Pray that JJM's meniscus isn't going to be a chronic issue.

This is my only concern. He was a stud in college and I wanted him in LVR badly. Still would. My only pause now is this - meniscus is avascular so can be a degenerative condition quickly - what impact might this have on him longer term? Especially with a second surgery already, is this going to be chronic?

That stinks especially given his mobility is a significant part of his game

Between the injury and loss of 1/5 of the rookie contract/development, trading a high 2025 pick for JJM seems dicey. Doesn't mean someone won't do it, but JJM's 2025 value =/= JJM's 2024 value. Or at least, it shouldn't unless you factor in desperation/stupidity.

 

[MAC_32]

The smart thing to do is franchise Darnold and run it back. This year was supposed to be Darnold holding down the fort until JJM showed he was ready for NFL games. It could have been all year, It could have been until the bye, it could have been a few games.

There is nothing lost just going into next year with the same plan. Give Darnold the franchise tag. It costs you one year and the Vikes have the space to do it. You can see if this year was a fluke. It gives JJM hopefully a full healthy year of being at practice, learning, developing. It seems like a win-win situation. I really don't see any other option because no matter what you think of JJM he may not be all that once he starts playing. Darnold just had a great regular season even if showed that the bright lights were too much for him. Let's see if he can do it again while JJM gets a healthy year to develop.

I was going to post very similar in the Darnold thread.

I agree with this, plus if you really consider yourself a playoff contender you want a strong backup QB.

It's going to be real hard for this team to get better if this is the route taken. It appears safe, but it really isn't. KOC already squeezed the lemon and got everything and then some out of the current team. If the Vikes franchise Darnold and keep JJ that leaves them just ~$30m and a 1st rd pick (they don't have a 2, 3, or 4) to improve the team. Let's review their situation...

As is, only 2 of the starting 5 in the secondary are under contract next year and one of them is 36 yo Harrison Smith. Half of the defensive front is also unsigned, are Ward / Turner / Redmond ready for more work? The only starting RB under contract is Ty Chandler and Nailor is the only WR backing up Jetta and Addison. This team was also unusually healthy this year- players get banged up during but Hock aside (that was pre-planned), Addison missed 2 games, Darrisaw 9, Cashman 3, and Gilmore 2. No other full time starter missed time, which is very lucky. Additionally, it helped drawing the AFC South and both NY teams this season. Next year they get the AFC North, NFC East, Atlanta, and the Chargers.

**gulp**

 

[JohnnyU]

I think Darnold is fools gold and they should roll with McCarthy going forward.

 

[Hankmoody]

It's going to be real hard for this team to get better if this is the route taken.

How much better do they have to get though? They won 14 games. They have to play either one of two games better at QB and they're in the divisional round of the playoffs. The roster as-is is capable of winning any given game. Obviously you can't have the QB stink it up but that's true of just about anyone. Almost every team out there worth a damn has a QB making north of $30M that is not a barrier. Now if JU is right and he's pyrite then obviously that's a different story but IMO that's why it's a foregone conclusion to the the FT to avoid being locked in if that happens.

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

It's going to be real hard for this team to get better if this is the route taken.

How much better do they have to get though? They won 14 games. They have to play either one of two games better at QB and they're in the divisional round of the playoffs. The roster as-is is capable of winning any given game. Obviously you can't have the QB stink it up but that's true of just about anyone. Almost every team out there worth a damn has a QB making north of $30M that is not a barrier. Now if JU is right and he's pyrite then obviously that's a different story but IMO that's why it's a foregone conclusion to the the FT to avoid being locked in if that happens.

This. It's also worth noting that any other year in the Superbowl Era, a 14 win team wins their division hands down and has a bye during wildcard weekend. I'm not saying it magically makes Darnold better in the playoff game, but it certainly gives KOC more time to gameplan.

 

[MAC_32]

How much better do they have to get though?

As I covered in the rest of my post, a lot. They were relatively lucky with health this year, had a favorable schedule, have a lot of expiring contracts, and only one pick in the top ~130. They can address a lot of those needs if they have an extra ~$40m to play with, money that they won't have if they franchise Darnold.

 

[Gally]

As I covered in the rest of my post, a lot. They were relatively lucky with health this year, had a favorable schedule, have a lot of expiring contracts, and only one pick in the top ~130. They can address a lot of those needs if they have an extra ~$40m to play with, money that they won't have if they franchise Darnold.

Of course they need more depth and figuring out their secondary is a priority but generally speaking I don't think they need that much space to get a similar secondary next year. The advantage of the franchise tag for Darnold is that it is only a single year of cap space use. I don't think this team is close enough to a Super Bowl appearance/win that using that $40M next year will get them there. I don't know if JJM is a good enough QB to get them there. My thought process is use the FT on Darnold to get another year of him to see if this year was a fluke. Use next year to groom a hopefully healthy JJM and see what they actually have. Maybe he outplays Darnold and passes him up in Training Camp or 2 weeks in or after the bye or regular season Darnold shows up again and has another great season. Either way it gets JJM a year of healthy practice/evaluation/experience in the NFL.

Then after next year (I am assuming Darnold is Darnold) you move to JJM, get that 40M space back and fine tune the roster for the pieces you need to hit the ground running in 2026 for a real Super Bowl Push.

Maybe I am being irrantional but I think they have enough cap space (even with Darnold on the FT) to be at least as good as they were this year (wild card spot) and it gives you experience etc to really push in 2026. I think that is the real window assuming JJM can be the guy.

 

[Stealthycat]

a lot of money to spend in other positions if JJ McCarthy is a good QB

 

[Hankmoody]

As I covered in the rest of my post, a lot. They were relatively lucky with health this year, had a favorable schedule, have a lot of expiring contracts, and only one pick in the top ~130. They can address a lot of those needs if they have an extra ~$40m to play with, money that they won't have if they franchise Darnold.

Fair enough, those are well-reasoned points. None of those concerns are more important than QB though. This isn't a Flacco type situation where there's already a "franchise" QB (used VERY lightly regarding Watson) that's already being paid or that you're already committed to. JJM is a total wildcard, including health. You can turn a 5-12 team over to that, you can't turn a 14-3 team over to that if you don't have to.

 

[MAC_32]

I don't think this team is close enough to a Super Bowl appearance/win

...then why invest in Sam? Especially if...

Then after next year (I am assuming Darnold is Darnold) you move to JJM, get that 40M space back and fine tune the roster for the pieces you need to hit the ground running in 2026 for a real Super Bowl Push.

...this is what you think of him.

None of those concerns are more important than QB though.

I agree, but if Sam's no more than a bridge, why spend that $ on him when it can be re-allocated on players to get them over the hump? And that $ doesn't necessarily need to be spent on those players this year. If the market's not there, roll it over.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

I don't think this team is close enough to a Super Bowl appearance/win

...then why invest in Sam? Especially if...

Then after next year (I am assuming Darnold is Darnold) you move to JJM, get that 40M space back and fine tune the roster for the pieces you need to hit the ground running in 2026 for a real Super Bowl Push.

...this is what you think of him.

None of those concerns are more important than QB though.

I agree, but if Sam's no more than a bridge, why spend that $ on him when it can be re-allocated on players to get them over the hump? And that $ doesn't necessarily need to be spent on those players this year. If the market's not there, roll it over.

This is the challenge MIN’s 14 win season created.

When JJM was drafted & Darnold singed, not many people thought they’d be a playoff team.

Gonna be interesting to see how this goes.

 

[MAC_32]

This is the challenge MIN’s 14 win season created.

When JJM was drafted & Darnold singed, not many people thought they’d be a playoff team.

Want the big boy job, then gotta make big boy decisions.

 

[Gally]

..then why invest in Sam? Especially if...

..this is what you think of him.

Because I might be wrong about how ready the team and about Darnold. What if Darnold has turned a corner and did learn from the last two weeks. He played great for 17 weeks and nobody really knows if JJM is good or not..

To me using the franchise tag is a low risk commitment that doesn't hurt you long term and gives a solid team another year to see if they can get over the hump with minimal long term risk.

 

[menobrown]

a lot of money to spend in other positions if JJ McCarthy is a good QB

Agreed.

They have a lot of other needs and was just reading article today about all 3 interior OL positions being a major focus this off-season.

I think the fact they only have 3 picks in this entire draft class is not being factored in enough. Their first and two 5ths. To take care of their needs with this weak draft capital they'll have to be hitting the FA market, kind of hard.

If they tagged Darnold they'd be left with about $17M in effective cap space. They can create more but they don't have a ton of high priced based salaries they can convert to a bonus and spread out the hit.

End of the day they can tag Darnold, probably create $20M-30m of cap relief by cutting or converting base to bonus but that would take a lot of manevuring and I feel like Kwesi has not been working the last few years to creat cap space to start pushing a bunch down the road which this would entail. Also while the cap is going to keep going up, so is Jefferson cap number which will increase $23M next year and few more million the following years thereafter.

They also have to feel good about their ability and attractiveness to other players as a nice QB rehab spot. We already saw this with Daniel Jones. My point is they've got the cache to hit the veteran QB market and try their hand again with a veteran QB on a low pay who both parties think can turn their career around.

In light of their super low amount of draft picks and other needs, this is the direction I expect them to go. Bringing in another cheap vet QB trying to get their career back on track to compete back/up McCarthy. I only expect them to entertain tagging and actualy keeping Darnold if they have concerns on JJ's recovery.

 

[markrc99]

"... was just reading [an] article today about all 3 interior OL positions being a major focus this off-season. I think the fact they only have 3 picks in this entire draft class is not being factored in enough. Their first and two 5ths. To take care of their needs with this weak draft capital they'll have to be hitting the FA market, kind of hard. If they tagged Darnold they'd be left with about $17M in effective cap space. They can create more but they don't have a ton of high priced based salaries they can convert to a bonus and spread out the hit. ...
I feel like Kwesi has not been working the last few years to create cap space to start pushing a bunch down the road which this would entail. ...
They also have to feel good about their ability and attractiveness to other players as a nice QB rehab spot. We already saw this with Daniel Jones. My point is they've got the cache to hit the veteran QB market and try their hand again with a veteran QB on a low pay who both parties think can turn their career around.

In light of their super low amount of draft picks and other needs, this is the direction I expect them to go. Bringing in another cheap vet QB trying to get their career back on track to compete back/up Darnold. I only expect them to entertain tagging and actually keeping Darnold if they have concerns on JJ's recovery."

They did lose Kirk Cousins to FA. So a compensatory pick, perhaps a high one, is a possibility. Jones was the QB that picked this defense apart in that 2022 playoff game. He actually faced them twice that year, playing well just a few weeks prior to that playoff win. When O'Connell was with Washington he scouted Jones as a potential draft selection. They also didn't wait for Jones to clear waivers, to me no doubt O'Connell was behind securing this player asap. Given who's available I think by far, he makes the most sense. He also has some ability to extend the play, where Darnold has none.

Could be wrong but I don't think tagging & trading Darnold is anything that's happening. What could Minnesota reasonably expect in terms of compensation? Like with Cousins, if he signs elsewhere what would the upside be committing time & resources to a tag & trade scheme, minus the compensatory pick they would otherwise gain? Fantasy-wise, I love teams that add! Teams that need to but don't have the ammo to get it done, I don't know. My guess is that McCarthy has just stepped into the driver's seat.

 

[zamboni]

They also have to feel good about their ability and attractiveness to other players as a nice QB rehab spot. We already saw this with Daniel Jones. My point is they've got the cache to hit the veteran QB market and try their hand again with a veteran QB on a low pay who both parties think can turn their career around.

Agree with this and I don't many are considering the fact that they may feel Jones could also be an inexpensive reclamation project like Darnold was. Similar pedigree - highly drafted by one of the putrid NY franchises, along with a lot of talent, but was never surrounded by a good ecosystem that could harness said talent.

 

[markrc99]

"... I don't [think] many are considering the fact that they may feel Jones could also be an inexpensive reclamation project like Darnold was. ..."

Jones won't be signing for $10M or anything near that. Further, he may want a fair chance at winning the job in camp. Which could be very likely, but then lose ground to McCarthy as the season wears on. O'Connell clearly has a noticeable level of confidence in this player.

 

[zamboni]

"... I don't [think] many are considering the fact that they may feel Jones could also be an inexpensive reclamation project like Darnold was. ..."

Jones won't be signing for $10M or anything near that. Further, he may want a fair chance at winning the job in camp. Which could be very likely, but then lose ground to McCarthy as the season wears on. O'Connell clearly has a noticeable level of confidence in this player.

Guess we'll have to see - may not be too many teams lining up to sign Jones and give him a shot at winning the job, and this could be his best chance. Can see the Vikes offering him like 1 year/$5 million as an insurance policy, but it's all idle speculation right now.

 

[markrc99]

Guess we'll have to see - may not be too many teams lining up to sign Jones and give him a shot at winning the job, and this could be his best chance. Can see the Vikes offering him like 1 year/$5 million as an insurance policy, but it's all idle speculation right now.

I've seen the list & it's historically weak. Although, Mariota faired pretty well in a limited capacity. I think Jones would sooner sit & wait for an opportunity than accept such a lowball offer with no guarantee to play. Those two separate things may happen but he's not going to opt for the worst case, he'll resort to it in September or whenever.

 

[menobrown]

"... I don't [think] many are considering the fact that they may feel Jones could also be an inexpensive reclamation project like Darnold was. ..."

Jones won't be signing for $10M or anything near that. Further, he may want a fair chance at winning the job in camp. Which could be very likely, but then lose ground to McCarthy as the season wears on. O'Connell clearly has a noticeable level of confidence in this player.

That' been my thought was well.

There is actually a chance that the 3 most coveted FA QB's this off-season might be two current Vikings and their starter last year. Kirk of course we won't be able to measure how much he's coveted with regards to his pay, since he's probably taking a Russel Wilson type deal(assuming ATL is bluffing on keeping him).

Speaking of FA Qb's, I'd not sleep on Trey Lance being part of the QB equation for the Vikings if things don't work out contractually with their current two vets.

 

[markrc99]

"... Speaking of FA Qb's, I'd not sleep on Trey Lance being part of the QB equation for the Vikings if things don't work out contractually with their current two vets."

That's just it, the ones that manage to hang around .. the more likely it all comes together. I suspect Lance would be a league winner, he's sticking because the physical tools are all there! Beyond FA & not likely w/Minnesota another one to monitor is Malik Willis.

 

[phandango]

They did lose Kirk Cousins to FA. So a compensatory pick, perhaps a high one, is a possibility. Jones was the QB that picked this defense apart in that 2022 playoff game. He actually faced them twice that year, playing well just a few weeks prior to that playoff win. When O'Connell was with Washington he scouted Jones as a potential draft selection. They also didn't wait for Jones to clear waivers, to me no doubt O'Connell was behind securing this player asap. Given who's available I think by far, he makes the most sense. He also has some ability to extend the play, where Darnold has none.

Daniel Jones did clear waivers after his release. Otherwise, the Vikings would have had to pay the remainder of his Giants contract.

 

[markrc99]

Daniel Jones did clear waivers after his release. Otherwise, the Vikings would have had to pay the remainder of his Giants contract.

Appreciate your correction, just, try not to make a habit of it. I worded that wrong, Jones was released, but before he cleared Shefter reported that the Vikings were one of the pursuing teams Jones was considering. Next day O'Connell is being asked about it. Some time thereafter he's on the team.

Not as sure what they'll pay him. Today I think the contract he signs, if they even do this, will be one that does pay him if he plays. If not, then it's a trade-friendly deal that makes it an easy exit for him.

 

[travdogg]

"... I don't [think] many are considering the fact that they may feel Jones could also be an inexpensive reclamation project like Darnold was. ..."

Jones won't be signing for $10M or anything near that. Further, he may want a fair chance at winning the job in camp. Which could be very likely, but then lose ground to McCarthy as the season wears on. O'Connell clearly has a noticeable level of confidence in this player.

That' been my thought was well.

There is actually a chance that the 3 most coveted FA QB's this off-season might be two current Vikings and their starter last year. Kirk of course we won't be able to measure how much he's coveted with regards to his pay, since he's probably taking a Russel Wilson type deal(assuming ATL is bluffing on keeping him).

Speaking of FA Qb's, I'd not sleep on Trey Lance being part of the QB equation for the Vikings if things don't work out contractually with their current two vets.

I know he's from the area, but could you expand on Trey Lance? He seems like he'd be a really weird fit to me in this offense and would struggle to beat out Nick Mullens.

 

[menobrown]

"... I don't [think] many are considering the fact that they may feel Jones could also be an inexpensive reclamation project like Darnold was. ..."

Jones won't be signing for $10M or anything near that. Further, he may want a fair chance at winning the job in camp. Which could be very likely, but then lose ground to McCarthy as the season wears on. O'Connell clearly has a noticeable level of confidence in this player.

That' been my thought was well.

There is actually a chance that the 3 most coveted FA QB's this off-season might be two current Vikings and their starter last year. Kirk of course we won't be able to measure how much he's coveted with regards to his pay, since he's probably taking a Russel Wilson type deal(assuming ATL is bluffing on keeping him).

Speaking of FA Qb's, I'd not sleep on Trey Lance being part of the QB equation for the Vikings if things don't work out contractually with their current two vets.

I know he's from the area, but could you expand on Trey Lance? He seems like he'd be a really weird fit to me in this offense and would struggle to beat out Nick Mullens.

Sure.

Reports are they engaged in trade talks for Lance on at least two occasions. First time was spring of 2023 before the NFL draft when he was still a 49'ers. Dianna Russini labeled those talks as "serious conversations". Those talks fizzled out, the Vikings drafted Jarren Hall in the 5th and when SF decided to trade him in August by that point the Vikings wanted to see what they had in Hall so reports are they were not engaged at that time. But when they had the rash of QB injuries during the 2023 season they had what was described as minor talks with Dallas to trade for him. Now of course they were desperate for QB help so take all of this for what you will but to me is shows a pattern of at least some level of interest.

Then of course he fits the mold of high pedigereed QB with tools, not exactly similar to Darnold and Jones but a lot of simliarities.

The hometown angle only means anyting to me in that it might be part of the equation that would make the Vikings more attractive to Lance. Work with KOC, try to rehab your career, do it all near your hometown,etc,etc. In other words if Vikings are interested I would expect recipriocation.

 

[travdogg]

"... I don't [think] many are considering the fact that they may feel Jones could also be an inexpensive reclamation project like Darnold was. ..."

Jones won't be signing for $10M or anything near that. Further, he may want a fair chance at winning the job in camp. Which could be very likely, but then lose ground to McCarthy as the season wears on. O'Connell clearly has a noticeable level of confidence in this player.

That' been my thought was well.

There is actually a chance that the 3 most coveted FA QB's this off-season might be two current Vikings and their starter last year. Kirk of course we won't be able to measure how much he's coveted with regards to his pay, since he's probably taking a Russel Wilson type deal(assuming ATL is bluffing on keeping him).

Speaking of FA Qb's, I'd not sleep on Trey Lance being part of the QB equation for the Vikings if things don't work out contractually with their current two vets.

I know he's from the area, but could you expand on Trey Lance? He seems like he'd be a really weird fit to me in this offense and would struggle to beat out Nick Mullens.

Sure.

Reports are they engaged in trade talks for Lance on at least two occasions. First time was spring of 2023 before the NFL draft when he was still a 49'ers. Dianna Russini labeled those talks as "serious conversations". Those talks fizzled out, the Vikings drafted Jarren Hall in the 5th and when SF decided to trade him in August by that point the Vikings wanted to see what they had in Hall so reports are they were not engaged at that time. But when they had the rash of QB injuries during the 2023 season they had what was described as minor talks with Dallas to trade for him. Now of course they were desperate for QB help so take all of this for what you will but to me is shows a pattern of at least some level of interest.

Then of course he fits the mold of high pedigereed QB with tools, not exactly similar to Darnold and Jones but a lot of simliarities.

The hometown angle only means anyting to me in that it might be part of the equation that would make the Vikings more attractive to Lance. Work with KOC, try to rehab your career, do it all near your hometown,etc,etc. In other words if Vikings are interested I would expect reciprocation.

Thanks. I recalled some Lance to Minnesota stuff a couple years back but had forgotten the context and just kinda put the hometown thing together in lieu of anything else.

100% agree on the bolded. To me anyway, Lance is a guy who should be hoping to make a roster as a #3, so if a team, especially one with a quality offensive mind, wants him, he should be very interested.

I will say, all of those other things happened when they didn't have a young QB of the future in McCarthy, and Lance couldn't beat out Cooper Rush in 2 years, so I do wonder if his stock will be much lower in their (or really anyone's) eyes.

 

[Faust]

NFL Draft Files
JJ McCarthy would easily be QB1 in this year’s class.

Minnesota is officially NOT franchise tagging Sam Darnold, and I believe McCarthy and the Vikings are in great shape for 2025.

https://x.com/nfl_df/status/1897306261173256559?s=61

 

[Ministry of Pain]

How could anyone know if JJ McCarthy would be No 1 overall? Cam Ward is not as bad as some would like to believe
I hope JJ is as good as some think, not sure if being injured and having a year to survey was good or bad for him. He's behind on many levels

 

[zamboni]

I hope JJ is as good as some think, not sure if being injured and having a year to survey was good or bad for him. He's behind on many levels

Agreed - I think it comes down to faith in O’Connell and the rest of team brass that if they’re willing to turn the keys over to JJ, there must be something there. After how Darnold, Dobbs, etc. looked post-Cousins, it’s hard to argue against them.

 

[JohnnyU]

To me personally it is a bonus having McCarthy, but I only play 1QB. I can see more urgency in SuperFlex.

 

[Boston]

Darnold has played himself into a solid contract...this may be his one chance to really cash in and he is now unrestricted...add in a subpar draft class and QB-needy teams and the stars are aligned for him to get paid...due to that I don't see a short-term deal/bridge to JJM Minnesota deal happening...I also can't picture JJM sitting on the bench for 3 or more years (Darnold will only be 28 in June)...something has to give here...O'Connell (and the Vikings GM) knows what he is doing so it will be very interesting to watch it play out and big picture this is a great problem to have...I can definitely see a few different scenarios play out but the one I don't see is Darnold signing with Minny and JJM being his understudy for multiple years...that one doesn't make sense in this scenario.

 

[TheDirtyWord]

How could anyone know if JJ McCarthy would be No 1 overall? Cam Ward is not as bad as some would like to believe
I hope JJ is as good as some think, not sure if being injured and having a year to survey was good or bad for him. He's behind on many levels

The one thing I would say is that I'm not a big fan of believing in a kid that's had to rehab a serious injury during his rookie year. How that applies to QB might be a bit different since even in JJ's case, there was a 'redshirt' year on the table.

But if he's the starter in 2025...while he may be in a locker room more familiar with him and vice versa than when he was a rookie, he's still having to get back on the field as QB1 for a 14 win team while rebuilding confidence physically while stepping up in competition level. For me, this is why Darnold is still on the table for the Vikes.

I think what's surprising to me is that regarding options, that given his 2024 performance...this might qualify as one of the better situations Darnold could land in for 2025.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I'd rather go backwards this year and find out whether or not it seems that JJM is the 10+ year solution they're hoping for.

Signing Darnold would still just be a band aid solution. They played with house money all year last year and found out what they needed to know there. Good player, but not championship caliber. Thanks and go make the money you've earned the right to make with some other middling team.

 

[steelcityman]

Vikings arent winning anything with Darnold, so might as well get to steppin forward. TBH, no one is winning with Darnold, not anything of circumstance. Its probably why he is a great fit for the Steelers.

 

[Faust]

Chase Daniel
Feels like JJ McCarthy will be the Vikings starter this year w/ Sam Darnold not re-signing per multiple sources.

He had a debut for the ages…Vikings fans should be excited. Let’s see if KOC can do it again.

All 22 QB Breakdown: JJ McCarthy

https://x.com/chasedaniel/status/1898386390917742814?s=61

 

[travdogg]

Chase Daniel
Feels like JJ McCarthy will be the Vikings starter this year w/ Sam Darnold not re-signing per multiple sources.

He had a debut for the ages…Vikings fans should be excited. Let’s see if KOC can do it again.

All 22 QB Breakdown: JJ McCarthy

https://x.com/chasedaniel/status/1898386390917742814?s=61

McCarthy is the perfect fit for this system in my opinion. Wouldn't be surprised if we were looking back this time next year, calling him the 2nd best QB from the 2024 draft. I'm not buying any Rodgers rumors, Daniel Jones re-signing I could see, or even a Gardner Minshew type, but not someone who is a threat to start.

 

[BeTheMatch]

Chase Daniel
Feels like JJ McCarthy will be the Vikings starter this year w/ Sam Darnold not re-signing per multiple sources.

He had a debut for the ages…Vikings fans should be excited. Let’s see if KOC can do it again.

All 22 QB Breakdown: JJ McCarthy

https://x.com/chasedaniel/status/1898386390917742814?s=61

McCarthy is the perfect fit for this system in my opinion. Wouldn't be surprised if we were looking back this time next year, calling him the 2nd best QB from the 2024 draft. I'm not buying any Rodgers rumors, Daniel Jones re-signing I could see, or even a Gardner Minshew type, but not someone who is a threat to start.

The Rodgers stuff is just absolute garbage. It's either Rodgers' camp floating it to drive up his price elsewhere or the Vikings floating it to drive down Daniel Jones' price. But there is NO WAY IN HELL Rodgers ends up in MN.

 

[zamboni]

Chase Daniel
Feels like JJ McCarthy will be the Vikings starter this year w/ Sam Darnold not re-signing per multiple sources.

He had a debut for the ages…Vikings fans should be excited. Let’s see if KOC can do it again.

All 22 QB Breakdown: JJ McCarthy

https://x.com/chasedaniel/status/1898386390917742814?s=61

McCarthy is the perfect fit for this system in my opinion. Wouldn't be surprised if we were looking back this time next year, calling him the 2nd best QB from the 2024 draft. I'm not buying any Rodgers rumors, Daniel Jones re-signing I could see, or even a Gardner Minshew type, but not someone who is a threat to start.

The Rodgers stuff is just absolute garbage. It's either Rodgers' camp floating it to drive up his price elsewhere or the Vikings floating it to drive down Daniel Jones' price. But there is NO WAY IN HELL Rodgers ends up in MN.

Vikings brass is too sharp to bring in Rodgers - that would be among the last places I'd expect him to land.

 

[zamboni]

With Darnold off to Seattle and Daniel Jones off to Indy, and unless in the highly unlikely scenario that Rodgers or Wilson ends in Minnesota, it looks like wheels up for JJ.

Should be one of the more interesting stories in the offseason/next year whether he can make this offense continue to hum.

 

[joey]

With Darnold off to Seattle and Daniel Jones off to Indy, and unless in the highly unlikely scenario that Rodgers or Wilson ends in Minnesota, it looks like wheels up for JJ.

Should be one of the more interesting stories in the offseason/next year whether he can make this offense continue to hum.

I only roster JJ in a league where I don’t “need” him (1 QB league where I already roster Josh Allen) so I’d love to have JJ allow me to be able to cash out on one of them for improvement elsewhere.

 

[zamboni]

With Darnold off to Seattle and Daniel Jones off to Indy, and unless in the highly unlikely scenario that Rodgers or Wilson ends in Minnesota, it looks like wheels up for JJ.

Should be one of the more interesting stories in the offseason/next year whether he can make this offense continue to hum.

I only roster JJ in a league where I don’t “need” him (1 QB league where I already roster Josh Allen) so I’d love to have JJ allow me to be able to cash out on one of them for improvement elsewhere.

I am in a similar boat but in Superflex keeper with Allen and JJ. Can keep 2 QBs and deciding between JJ, Herbert and Penix for my 2nd QB but that’s for another day.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

With Darnold off to Seattle and Daniel Jones off to Indy, and unless in the highly unlikely scenario that Rodgers or Wilson ends in Minnesota, it looks like wheels up for JJ.

Should be one of the more interesting stories in the offseason/next year whether he can make this offense continue to hum.

He looked great a in the preseason. Poised and mature - I was getting extremely excited until he tweaked his knee.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

With Darnold off to Seattle and Daniel Jones off to Indy, and unless in the highly unlikely scenario that Rodgers or Wilson ends in Minnesota, it looks like wheels up for JJ.

Should be one of the more interesting stories in the offseason/next year whether he can make this offense continue to hum.

I only roster JJ in a league where I don’t “need” him (1 QB league where I already roster Josh Allen) so I’d love to have JJ allow me to be able to cash out on one of them for improvement elsewhere.

I needed him so I dealt for him. Then immediately dealt for his “backup” Darnold (for a 2026 3rd & a LB2) - now I stand to have 3 starting QB in SF, a luxury I’ve never experienced.

Teams already sniffing around asking if I’d be willing to deal one of them. 16 team league, so it’s always a seller’s market.