The Athletic: What's next for JJ McCarthy?

[StickierBuns]

It's all bullshit. 

100%. I've been saying this for over a month.

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IMO, none of this conjecture matters. JJ’s future is not with us. If it was, we’d be seeing what his progression this year looks like on the field. If the team TRULY believed in his development, there would be no question he’d be the starter this year. 

Ultimately this^

KOC needs to stick to trying to rehabbing the vets at KOC University because he's got no stomach for rookies. 

Remember, 10 wins is the absolute floor this year, the threadbare minimum.

[JimmyinSD]

100%. I've been saying this for over a month.

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Ultimately this^

KOC needs to stick to trying to rehabbing the vets at KOC University because he's got no stomach for rookies. 

Remember, 10 wins is the absolute floor this year, the threadbare minimum.

Im waiting for the the not quite good enough season from Murray and then the koc apologists / purple koolaid drinkers to come running in with the "complex offense that took Cosuins 1.5 years to get comfortable in  need to give them more time" type of excuses.

I am also ready for our OL to be "shit" again,  holding calls will be up, and Murray is going to take hits and likely get injured because blocking for those guys is damn hard when you have no idea what they are going to do back there.

[StickierBuns]

Im waiting for the the not quite good enough season from Murray and then the koc apologists / purple koolaid drinkers to come running in with the "complex offense that took Cosuins 1.5 years to get comfortable in  need to give them more time" type of excuses.

I am also ready for our OL to be "shit" again,  holding calls will be up, and Murray is going to take hits and likely get injured because blocking for those guys is damn hard when you have no idea what they are going to do back there.

My only main gripe with KOC is that it appears he's walking away from a talented young kid in JJM. I don't understand how the org can't build momentum and development with McCarthy when they've seen him make some throws that maybe 5 QBs in the NFL make. I get it, his bad play has sucked out loud. But what about the last 3-4 games he played? Marked improvement. Whatever. He needs reps and he's not going to get them. So the KR Experiment better work in spades.

[MAD GAINZ]

My only main gripe with KOC is that it appears he's walking away from a talented young kid in JJM. I don't understand how the org can't build momentum and development with McCarthy when they've seen him make some throws that maybe 5 QBs in the NFL make. I get it, his bad play has sucked out loud. But what about the last 3-4 games he played? Marked improvement. Whatever. He needs reps and he's not going to get them. So the KR Experiment better work in spades.

The only thing I can think that makes sense is JJ McCarthy still isn't great at layering throws which is a requirement for any successful NFL QB.  I think KOC knew this heading into last season and wanted to give him one year of true on the field development before trotting him out there since he didn't get that his rookie year.  

When the FO wanted to go with the kid, it forced his hand and here we are.  Kwesi fired, KOC frustrated last season when JJ was up and down early and then dealt with some injuries and then showed some youthful exuberance with the griddy (when coaches told him not to do it in practice that week).

I don't think KOC has given up on JJ McCarthy. It may look that way, but he's trying to balance winning now and giving JJ McCarthy more time to develop which he probably needed last year in hindsight.

Problem is if Kyler Murray plays well, he may never get another chance here.

[MaroonBells]

IMO, none of this conjecture matters. JJ’s future is not with us. If it was, we’d be seeing what his progression this year looks like on the field. If the team TRULY believed in his development, there would be no question he’d be the starter this year. They don’t…it’s absolutely not debatable.  This pie in the sky, “going back to the bench for the year is best for him” bullshit is frankly stupid.  The Vikings do….not….believe….in….JJ.

I’m not even pissed about us punting on JJ the player…I’m pissed that the Vikings and a majority of the fanbase proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that it can’t handle drafting and developing a young QB. It took one year for the team to toss all those plans into the fire and go back to the free agent QB well.

And I’m TIRED of hearing that we’re only paying Kyler $1.5 million and that’s why we signed him. Come on…. If the Cards weren’t paying him this year he was likely a “3yr/100 mil level QB” and everyone knows it. That’s likely 90% of the reason we didn’t sign him long term, as it would have offset that language. Hasn’t anyone put together that the reason we’re not spending money this year and are seemingly clearing cap space next year is to be able to sign Kyler long term? The only question of how much we pay him is dependent on how well he plays.

Everything your eyes can see is that the Vikings are done with JJ McCarthy and likely developing a drafted QB. Barring injury, JJ never starts another game for the Minnesota Vikings.

Is it possible that JJ has played his last game for Minnesota? Of course. Is it also possible that, like Mayfield and Darnold, he responds well to a year on the bench? Absolutely. When he gets opportunities in training camp, joint practices, preseason and regular season games, he has to show enough growth to give the Vikings something to think about when they balance K1 for $50M or JJ for $5M. That is not so far outside the realm of possibility that your post suggests.

The Vikings tepid approach to spending in free agency this year is much more due to last year’s misses, and the dollars tied up in that, than clearing the books for Kyler Murray a year from now.

There’s a surprising amount of rage directed at the Vikings over this signing.  And much of it is just not very well-informed. In fact, it comes off as just more “Wilfs/Kwesi/KOC sucks” bluster. And you didn’t strike me as the type.

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The “better off back to bench comment” is just a widely spread narrative I’ve seen from lots of Vikings fans. 

I also don’t believe it’s just conjecture about them not believing in JJ. I feel like they’ve proven it by what’s come out about him from multiple “unnamed sources” within the organization. It’s also not THAT they signed another QB for the “QB room”…it’s who.  They’re SPRINTED to Kyler Murray to sign him. Not an older vet to mentor/push/be a possible starter. They went and got a 28 year old former #1 overall pick looking to revive his career. This is almost EXACTLY the Jones/Richardson scenario in Indy except Murray is likely more talented. 

This team is gonna say whatever they want, but actions speak louder than words. And literally not ONE action this offseason is showing ANY belief in JJ McCarthy

Why are you saying this like it’s a bad thing? Even if you’re right and the Vikings have ZERO belief in JJ’s future, there’s a reason for it. The team’s number one goal is to win a Super Bowl; it’s not to coddle a young player year after year while Justin Jefferson ages out.

[purplefaithful]

Im waiting for the the not quite good enough season from Murray and then the koc apologists / purple koolaid drinkers to come running in with the "complex offense that took Cosuins 1.5 years to get comfortable in  need to give them more time" type of excuses.

I am also ready for our OL to be "shit" again,  holding calls will be up, and Murray is going to take hits and likely get injured because blocking for those guys is damn hard when you have no idea what they are going to do back there.

Sounds like you're ready for season tix!

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The only thing I can think that makes sense is JJ McCarthy still isn't great at layering throws which is a requirement for any successful NFL QB.  I think KOC knew this heading into last season and wanted to give him one year of true on the field development before trotting him out there since he didn't get that his rookie year.  

When the FO wanted to go with the kid, it forced his hand and here we are.  Kwesi fired, KOC frustrated last season when JJ was up and down early and then dealt with some injuries and then showed some youthful exuberance with the griddy (when coaches told him not to do it in practice that week).

I don't think KOC has given up on JJ McCarthy. It may look that way, but he's trying to balance winning now and giving JJ McCarthy more time to develop which he probably needed last year in hindsight.

Problem is if Kyler Murray plays well, he may never get another chance here.

^^^ well reasoned post that deserves an off-season boom...

I'll add this 

1). I also dont think KOC has given-up on JJ, and yah it's a fine balancing act - lots of salaries, incentives etc. on the line besides JJ's development.   
  - There is a whole locker room of needs to be met and with players critical to the franchise

2). KAM f'd things up forcing the org to play a guy who clearly wasn't ready in hind-sight. 
 - I dont think he was ready physically, mentally or emotionally 
 - I dont believe much on the inter webs anymore, but I think there is some truth to what Silverstein reported on JJ in 25 and he's got alot of emotional maturing to do

3). Agreed re: Murray and potential repercussions if he plays well - but it wasn't reason enough not to sign KM (especially at $1.5m)

4). I suspect the locker room is pretty psyched about having KM here

5). IF KM plays well? It could be a fun year for fans (and yah) the bandwagon will be pretty full.

[hogjowlsjohnny]

JJ is not ready. He's still in development. Murray was a gift to the cap strapped Vikings. Right now there is no way JJ appears to be better than Murray. However, by the start of the season JJ could beat out Murray by looking great in OTA's, training camp, and preseason, while Murray sucks. Or more likely, Murray starts the season and struggles, or gets injured, and JJ replaces him.
No reason for all the black armband wearing JJ supporters give up hope he will be the Vikings future.
There is also the possibility he will sit behind Murray for the season, develop and learn, and become the starter next year when Murray leaves. Odds aren't great for JJ's success. But they never were!
There would be nothing better for KOC and the Vikings if JJ beat out Murray. If he has what it takes, he'll do just that.

[StickierBuns]

No reason for all the black armband wearing JJ supporters give up hope he will be the Vikings future.

Yes, how silly of us.....its such an obvious and positive transaction/move for McCarthy's future. 

[Zanary]

Yes, how silly of us.....its such an obvious and positive transaction/move for McCarthy's future. 

I (happily) had a weekend to step back from all of this a bit, and reminded myself of a few things:

1. The "JJM is done" prattle isn't coming from anyone inside the Vikings, at least not officially. For all of the people quickly pushing that narrative, it gets awkward when they also have to defend Murray's decline, which has years of injuries and play that frankly screams "bust" for a guy that was the #1 pick. Cue the Eagles' "New Kid in Town", and the (uglier) fanbase's typical overreaction to ANY QB besides our starter.

2. Sports bobbleheads make their clicks and ratings via dramatic headlines/takes. Big, dumb, general statements make good large-font story headers and 5 second preview clips, so stating extremes is basically job security. JJM is "DONE" and Murray is somehow going to go from bottom of the NFCW to top of the NFCN all makes for sexy reading/watching...but, is also going to be forgotten before training camp, so they can stack more and even contradicting superlatives all summer long.

3. KOC hasn't shown much support for JJM, but he also didn't welcome Murray as the starter, and even his statements about our new, diminutive QB had nebulous coach-speak all over them.

4. We haven't even had the first OTA, yet...so, we've literally seen nothing of any new dynamics.

5. At least half of the sports media tends to hate us, so there's no point in acknowledging or believing much of what's out there.

I find the hype as annoying as anyone, and it's gonna stay buzzing for awhile...but, I doubt that things are as "done" as we're being told.

[StickierBuns]

So here's what a buddy of mine always says....'would you put a $100 on it?'. Anyone willing to do that saying JJM will be QB1?

Not asking anyone to bet, just saying putting it thru that prism adds a little clarity IMO.