The Big Lead

J.J. McCarthy has to be the Vikings starter heading into next season

If Minnesota wants to create a strong Super Bowl window, it's time to go with their second-year quarterback.

By Matt Reed

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) celebrates wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. (11) touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) celebrates wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. (11) touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
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The Minnesota Vikings certainly exceeded a lot of expectations in 2024 with Sam Darnold leading the way, but this season it's time for the team to introduce last season's number one pick into the fold after suffering a devastating injury in Year 1.

J.J. McCarthy was a collegiate national champion with the Michigan Wolverines, and that's why the Vikings were so high on him coming into the NFL. However, with how well Darnold played last season and by helping Minnesota reach the playoffs, the decision might not be as easy as just letting Darnold leave.

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For the Vikings, their decision should be quite simple though if they're looking at maintaining long-term success in one of the most promising divisions in football at the moment. Having a young quarterback has proven to be the key to many teams winning over the years, unless it was the New England Patriots or Tampa Bay Buccaneers with Tom Brady leading the way.

The Vikings won 14 games last season with Darnold at the helm, but with such success comes a big decision to make in regards to his future with the team. At the moment, Danrold could be commanding upwatrds of $40 million per season, and with McCarthy on a rookie contract it simply doesn't make much sense to shell out that kind of money.

Minnesota already has an elite receiving corps with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson catching passes, and if McCarthy is the prospect that the team thinks he is that should be enough to buy into him as he prepares to play in his second season.

Just looking around the NFC North it's clear that the Vikings are going to have serious competition from the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, especially after their division sent three teams to the playoffs a season ago.

Going with McCarthy simply gives the Vikings the most flexibility with their spending at other positions, and as the Philadelphia Eagles showed last season after building an incredible core of talent on both sides of the football, having a great quarterback is important but it's not the only need a team needs when they're trying to win a Super Bowl.

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