Justin Jefferson has crossed 1000+ yards despite receiving passes from different quarterbacks in the past two seasons. That trajectory is set to continue in 2025 as Jefferson prepares himself to catch passes from JJ McCarthy.
However, FOX Sports’ veteran analyst Colin Cowherd remains doubtful about McCarthy’s potential. From Cowherd’s point of view, McCarthy is a downgrade compared to the last two quarterbacks the Minnesota Vikings employed, both technically and in on-field experience.
I know Kevin O’Connell is fired up on this, but it’s very rare as read a story about this—14 wins and we are gonna go with a new guy. And the new guy… I am gonna say I am a skeptic. Now I am not a Zach Wilson skeptic, but I think [JJ McCarthy] is closer to Jaxson Dart than Jayden Daniels .
Colin Cowherd said on The Herd
McCarthy looked great in the off-season and during the preseason games in 2024. Unfortunately, a torn meniscus forced the CFP champion to sit out his rookie year and watch Sam Darnold lead the Vikings to the playoffs, where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams.
[McCarthy’s] got a modest arm, he’s marginally athletic, and again, he’s going into a very good division, and [the Vikings] seriously considered re-signing Sam Darnold… I’m always so reluctant to embrace a quarterback when everybody says, ‘I don’t know how to describe it; he’s a winner.‘
Colin Cowherd added
Cowherd predicted the Vikings taking a step back in 2025.
[The Vikings’] fourth-place finish… I am all in on the [Detroit] Lions winning it and the [Chicago] Bears winning a Wild Card spot.
Colin Cowherd said in another episode
He views the Vikings achieving eight wins with McCarthy.
They are not pulling off last year’s win total. That is the easiest team to predict a pullback of their win total.
Colin Cowherd added
Kevin O’Connell has high hopes for JJ McCarthy but advises Vikings fans to be patient
O’Connell was present in the Vikings’ war room when they drafted McCarthy as their future starter. Despite the injury, O’Connell revealed that the Michigan graduate is 110% ready for the season. However, at the same time, he hinted that the Vikings fans need to exercise patience because the brass still hasn’t decided how many reps McCarthy will take.
Sam [Howell] will be a part of it. But we’ve got to get Sam ready to play. We’ve got to get Brett Rypien ready to play. … Excited about our quarterback room, but now it’s our job to go coach them .
Kevin O’Connell said on the Rich Eisen Show via CBS Sports
O’Connell and the Vikings turned down the opportunity to sign veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers . Rodgers reportedly seemed keen on playing for them, but the Vikings announced that they will stick with JJ.
However, earlier in the off-season, McCarthy revealed that the Vikings are still in the process of selecting their starting quarterback.
They haven’t told me [who will be the starting quarterback]. I’m happy they didn’t because I try to earn it every single day and I never want that to be given to me that’s such a privilege and opportunity to give me that chance and I’m just going to make the most of it.
JJ McCarthy said
McCarthy played 40 games for the Michigan Wolverines, starting 28 times and winning on 27 occasions. In 2023, he led the school from Ann Arbor to an unbeaten 15-0 campaign en route to becoming the best team in college football. He threw a total of 482 completions for 6226 yards (8.7 yards per throw), 49 passing touchdowns, and 11 interceptions (160.5 passing rate), along with 161 rushes on the ground for 632 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in the three years.
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