The J.J. McCarthy experiment has not gone as the Vikings hoped.
Minnesota traded up one spot in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft to take the national championship-winning quarterback out of Michigan with the No. 10 pick. He suffered a pretty significant setback early in his pro career, suffering a torn meniscus that cost him his entire rookie season. Veteran Sam Darnold thrived in his stead, leading the Vikings to a 14–3 record. Even so, the franchise remained committed to McCarthy, letting Darnold walk in free agency (he is now 13–3 in his first year with the Seahawks and could earn the NFC’s No. 1 seed on Saturday night).
That commitment is on shakier ground after Minnesota’s first year with McCarthy as QB1. The second-year quarterback struggled to stay on the field, and will play in just his 10th game of the year on Sunday due to a number of injuries. He underwhelmed when he was healthy, and with the offseason fast approaching, the Vikings are set to look for veteran quarterback options in free agency and the trade market to compete with McCarthy for 2026, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini:
“Quarterback J.J. McCarthy will return to the Minnesota Vikings next season, but that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be the starter. The Vikings were looking for emphatic proof this season that he’s the long-term answer, and because of a series of injuries, they never got it. Over the next few months, sources say, Minnesota plans to explore established options via trade or free agency to strengthen its quarterback room.”
More: Three Bad Decisions That Sank the Vikings’ Chances to Contend in 2025
Russini reiterated that the team has “no plans to move on from the quarterback they traded up to draft,” but a move to add a veteran, like they had with Darnold for 2024, is in the cards. At 8–8 with an upcoming game against a Packers team that will likely sit a number of key starters including quarterback Jordan Love, Minnesota could finish the year just a half-game out of the playoffs despite uneven quarterback play all season.
J.J. McCarthy’s stats, injuries during first season as Vikings starter
The Michigan product has shown flashes throughout the year, and Minnesota is 5–4 with him under center entering Week 18. However, his struggles have been very apparent for much of the season.
| Comp. % | Pass Yards | YPA | TD | INT | Rush Yards | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57.3 | 1,450 | 6.6 | 11 | 12 | 174 | 4 |
Of quarterbacks with nine or more appearances this season, only a handful have posted worse yards per attempt marks, including Dillon Gabriel, Spencer Rattler, Joe Flacco and Cam Ward. His 5.5% interception rate is the highest of any quarterback with more than 125 pass attempts. With a sack rate of 10.93%, only Justin Fields was sacked more per drop-back (Geno Smith is tied with McCarthy). While McCarthy is known for his mobility, he has lost nearly as many yards in sacks (149) as he’s rushed for.
A high ankle sprain suffered in Week 2 cost McCarthy five games early in the season. He returned for Week 9, and played in four games before missing Week 13 with a concussion. He returned to play Week 14 and put together his best two-game stretch of the season with wins over the Commanders and Cowboys, throwing for a career-highs with three touchdowns vs. Washington and 250 passing yards at Dallas on Dec. 14. The Vikings would win a third consecutive game against the Giants in Week 16, but McCarthy left early with a hairline fracture in his throwing hand and was out for Minnesota’s dramatic upset of the Bears on Christmas.
McCarthy will return from his third injury absence to close out the season against Green Bay and look to build on the momentum he created in December. With players like Darnold and Baker Mayfield blossoming later in their careers, franchises like the Vikings may be reticent to give up on their highly-drafted quarterbacks too early, and it doesn’t sound like they have any inclination of moving on from him entering year three of his NFL career. There is no guarantee of him holding on to the starting job, however, if Minnesota doesn’t see some real improvement entering next year.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
- The Good, Bad and Ugly, Week 18: Buccaneers Still Need Help to Make the Playoffs
- Jameis Winston Hilariously Explains How to Properly ‘Eat a W’ on ESPN’s ‘ManningCast’
- Dave Canales Refuses to Blame Panthers' Loss to Buccaneers on Poor Officiating
- Why the Saints and Falcons Will Decide Whether the Bucs or Panthers Win the NFC South
- Todd Bowles Explains Awkward Celebratory Situation for Buccaneers After Panthers Win
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Vikings Plan to Add Veteran to QB Room After Disappointing First J.J. McCarthy Season.
