EAGAN, Minn. -- The world has no shortage of opinions on Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Is he ready to lead the Vikings to Super Bowl LX in February? It's not hard to find someone willing to say yes. Is he too weak-armed and small-statured to be a long-term starter? That assessment has floated around the national media as well.
This range of potential outcomes makes sense for a quarterback who missed his rookie season with a torn right meniscus and has neither played nor practiced during an NFL regular season. What McCarthy has done, however, is build up an inventory of offseason throws, decisions, mistakes, successes and growth moments.
"It's been awesome," McCarthy said, "because they've really pushed the limits on just what I can handle, and that's what I asked for. I'd rather sweat in training and limit the bleeding on the battlefield when we get there."
Over the 14 months since the Vikings made him the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft, McCarthy has participated in 18 days of training camp, 15 OTAs, three days of rookie minicamp, six days of veteran minicamp and one preseason game. That body of work is big enough to make some informed judgments, at least for those who have witnessed them.
With 33 days remaining until McCarthy and the rest of the Vikings' quarterbacks report to training camp, here are five offseason takeaways about the 22-year-old who the Vikings hope will develop into their starter for the next decade.
