Minnesota Vikings quarterback viewed as most intriguing player on roster
The Minnesota Vikings are one of the more intriguing teams to watch during training camp and the preseason. They have a lot of storylines to keep an eye on, especially at the quarterback position. The Vikings selected J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in April's NFL Draft becoming the first quarterback to be selected […]
The Minnesota Vikings are one of the more intriguing teams to watch during training camp and the preseason. They have a lot of storylines to keep an eye on, especially at the quarterback position.
The Vikings selected J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in April's NFL Draft becoming the first quarterback to be selected in the top 10 in team history. He is a polarizing player right now due to the wow throws he is making during training camp.
All that being said, he isn't viewed as the most intriguing player by many. The 33rd Team's Ari Meirov is one of them, as he believes that title belongs to Sam Darnold.
The Vikings signed Darnold to be their bridge quarterback until a rookie (eventually J.J. McCarthy) could take over following Kirk Cousins' departure in free agency. However, I kept hearing this offseason and even during free agency before he signed with Minnesota that some coaches believe Darnold has untapped potential and that he didn’t get a fair chance in New York and Carolina. During his one season in San Francisco, Darnold didn’t play much but did make an appearance in the 49ers' blowout loss to Baltimore on a Monday night, where he showed some flashes that coaches keep bringing up. I believe Darnold has the edge in Minnesota’s quarterback competition, and with the weapons they have and Kevin O'Connell as the play-caller, I could see a scenario where Darnold finds early success and McCarthy sits for more than just a few games.
The idea that Darnold has untapped potential is one that has been discussed at length over the last few months. In his five-year career leading to his one season in San Francisco, Darnold never had a great infrastructure. The New York Jets were a dumpster fire on offense, especially with the two years he spent with Adam Gase and the Carolina Panthers weren't much better.
When he played sparingly with the 49ers, there were flashes that he could still be something. The success of players like Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield making jumps after they were both written off gives more credence to the idea that Darnold could see a renaissance himself.
The supporting cast he will have couldn't be much better. He has an experienced and creative play-caller in Kevin O'Connell along with an elite wide receiver and offensive tackle duo led by Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw.
If Darnold can take the leap like some expect, things could get really interesting in Minnesota, especially with McCarthy waiting in the wings.
J.J. McCarthy is the Minnesota Vikings’ future, but is he ready to be quarterback of the present?
J.J. McCarthy is getting a lot of hype from Minnesota Vikings fans and analysts, but is he ready to be the guy?
