The arm talent of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Michael Penix Jr. was discussed in the NFL Draft, but some may have slighted J.J. McCarthy.
Dane Mizutani of The Pioneer Press had some takeaways from minicamp with the Minnesota Vikings as they head into Training Camp. A major one was the arm strength of J.J. McCarthy and its impact on his development.
“The raw ability that McCarthy possesses has been striking to see firsthand. He already has shown he can fit throws into tight windows with relative ease.”
The arm talent has never been a question for McCarthy. What has become a minor issue, and I cannot stress that word minor enough, is his footwork and accuracy. They are changing his footwork up and that has created some issues.
“The biggest issue for McCarthy has been his lack of consistency when either layering the ball to the boundary or pushing the ball downfield. That’s not unexpected considering he’s relearning his footwork under the tutelage of O’Connell and new quarterback coach Josh McCown. It’s going to click for McCarthy at some point, and when it does, he has the makings of being a very good player.”
Of course, his arm talent will carry him throughout his NFL journey. With the Vikings, talk of his arm talent will continue through camp, but fans should practice the same patience the team has with his development.
We may not see him in 2024, and that is alright. We have seen this in years past where rookies sat and developed before being thrown to the NFL wolves.
It will be worth the wait.
