Is J.J. McCarthy Heading to Minnesota?
After three seasons at the University of Michigan, J.J. McCarthy finished his career as a starter with a 27-1 record. Finishing his career at Michigan, J.J. won the CFB National Championship and led his team to victory. Now, J.J. has entered himself into the 2024 NFL Draft and will be prospected by many teams.
Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus
The Minnesota Vikings headed into the offseason with a lot of questions surrounding the quarterback position. Kirk Cousins suffered an Achilles injury in the middle of the 2023 Season and he has not signed an extension in Minnesota. With all that being said, Minnesota is still up in the air on whether to bring someone new in or extend Cousins. Bringing J.J. onto their roster could give the Vikings offensive improvements and a leader in the huddle. Minnesota has a great Head Coach in Kevin O’Connell, who could help elevate J.J.’s game in his rookie season.
Another thing to note about the Vikings is that they could extend Kirk Cousins, and still bring J.J. McCarthy in to back him up and slowly integrate him into their offense. Young quarterbacks benefit heavily when they have a veteran mentor like Kirk who could show J.J. the system, and the challenges all new players face in their transition from college to pro. Having McCarthy under Kirk Cousin’s wing for a season could have similar benefits to Jordan Love backing up Aaron Rodgers for a few seasons.
Photo Credit: Gregory Shamus
J.J. doesn’t have the strongest arm, but he has proven to be a leader. Not only that, but he can also run if he needs to, and he can make accurate throws in tight spots. In the offensive system at Michigan, J.J was able to make reads and find his receivers. He wasn’t necessarily asked to elevate the team at his position, but he stepped up when they needed him. With the NFL Combine this week, J.J will be throwing and showing off his athletic capabilities. There is no doubt his arm strength will be in question, but this is McCarthy’s time to show teams what he can bring to the table.
Minnesota seems like it would be a great fit for McCarthy. He doesn’t need to start in his first year, but he can be mentored by a veteran quarterback who can show him the ropes in the NFL. Having a guy like Kirk Cousins will help elevate J.J. in the long run. J.J. fought for the starting position at Michigan and once he got it, he proved the doubters wrong.
Minnesota has the 11th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, where they could take McCarthy off the board. There is a ton of quarterback talent in this year’s draft, which leaves a lot of room for the unknown. J.J. is a special player and would work well in their offensive system.
