The Minnesota Vikings have the biggest variance around the National Football League when it comes to their projections with the 2025 season.
There are plenty who believe that the Vikings will be taking a step back this offseason, mainly due to J.J. McCarthy as the starting quarterback. Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd thinks they will finish fourth in the NFC North mainly due to McCarthiy taking over as the starting quarterback.
Yes, things are uncertain at quarterback for Kevin O'Connell's squad, but they are in a much better spot from a roster construction standpoint.
J.J. McCarthy ranks ahead of Caleb Williams in QB rankings
Despite a lot of negativity surrounding the Vikings and the uncertaity with McCarthy, not everyone sees things as a negative. One of those is Pro Football Focus' John Kosko, who has McCarthy as the 21st-ranked starting quarterback going into the season, despite never having played a game in the National Football League.
I’m leaning on my personal evaluation here, as I had McCarthy as the top quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. We didn’t get to see him as a rookie, but his 2023 season at Michigan — where he earned a 92.2 PFF grade and a 93.4 passing grade — highlighted everything you want in a young passer. If he’s fully healthy in 2025, and considering what Sam Darnold managed in this offense, McCarthy is set up to succeed.
If you believed in McCarthy in the NFL Draft, then it would be difficult to not believe in him with O'Connell at the helm. He's maximized every quarterback that he's had in the building while being the Vikings' head coach and McCarthy is every bit as talented as the likes of Kirk Cousins, Josh Dobbs, and Sam Darnold.
What's really interesting here is where McCarthy ranks. He missed the entirety of his rookie season with a torn meniscus and ranked above three of his 2024 NFL Draft classmates:
- 22nd: Drake Maye
- 23rd: Michael Penix Jr.
- 24th: Caleb Williams
The last one is far and away the most interesting, as many annointed Williams as a generational quarterback prospect. However, he came into the league with plenty of flaws, despite his elite athletic gifts. That aspect came to fruition on multiple occasions this past season, as Williams and the Bears only won five games, including 10-consecutive losses.
It's no surprise that Williams said he wanted to play for the Vikings, and these rankings are another instance of just that. O'Connell's effect is tremendous and it's being felt across the league.
Not a believer yet? Give it a few weeks into the NFL season, and you might be changing your mind.
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