Vikings fans worldwide have come to terms with the fact that J.J. McCarthy will be sidelined for this entire season. McCarthy was in line to be QB2 until he proved himself to be a better option than Darnold. Unfortunately, his knee injury took that opportunity right out of his hands.
The Injury
It started as some knee soreness and stiffness after the preseason opener. Then, after an MRI, it was revealed that J.J. McCarthy would need surgery to address a torn meniscus in his right knee. Unfortunately, his injury was severe enough to require surgery which made his recovery time jump from a short four weeks (without surgery) to six to nine months (with surgery).
The Solution: Sam Darnold
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Many will fear that this could end the Vikings’ season before it even begins. However, there is hope after this injury and it comes in the form of Sam Darnold, a former 1st round pick from the 2018 NFL Draft.
He comes with an underwhelming record of 29-38 as a starter in the NFL. Many would argue that he has never had as talented an offense to work with as he will this year with the Vikings.
Justin Jefferson is the head of the pack with his route running and catching contested passes prowess. Jordan Addison looks to add to his impressive rookie resume in his sophomore season and Jailen Nailor has become a legitimate WR3 under the guidance of Vikings receiver coach Keenan McCardell.
According to some optimistic reports, TJ Hockenson is looking to return after the Week 6 bye. Adding Aaron Jones into the mix as he changes out the green and gold for the purple and gold, and you have a wide array of weapons that should be sure to scare most defenses in the NFL.
QB-Killer: Kevin O’Connell
While all of these options on offense should add up to a high-scoring unit, it is up to Sam Darnold to finally live up to his potential for the Vikings make any sort of postseason or Super Bowl run this season. He has struggled with turnovers in his 7-year career, but this is no reason for the Vikings supporters to be concerned.
The self-proclaimed QB-Killer Kevin O’Connell looks to be the guy that could bring Sam Darnold out of his slump and show off the potential that the New York Jets saw when they drafted him at third overall.
Darnold appears to have won the trust of his new teammates in Minnesota as they are “pretty confident” with him at the helm. He has the athleticism, football IQ, and arm strength that should allow him to silence his doubters early and often this season.
McCarthy’s Future
What does this all mean for McCarthy’s future? It means everything and nothing, all at the same time. While it is crushing to lose your rookie QB this early in the campaign, he will still be able to attend team meetings and work on the mental side of the position.
O’Connell has consistently preached that he does not want to put McCarthy in a bad position or stunt his growth. Before the injury, McCarthy was “on track for ‘consistent’ first-team reps in the QB competition. While he may not be able to take physical reps with his knee injury, he can take mental reps as he spends time around O’Connell, Darnold, and the rest of the Minnesota Vikings’ QB room.
As a Vikings supporter and someone who bleeds purple and gold, this might be hard to accept as the truth for this season. However, the future is still bright with Darnold at the helm on the field as McCarthy recovers and learns the ins and outs of the most difficult position in major sports.
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