The Minnesota Vikings made several difficult decisions at the quarterback position this offseason. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah allowed Sam Darnold to hit free agency despite his historical 14-3 campaign, then faced with another choice. Should Minnesota roll with J.J. McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie season due to a knee injury, or pursue a veteran like Aaron Rodgers? The Vikings went with the former.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Vikings passed on Rodgers because they have a three-year plan which they believe will lead to a Super Bowl. Part of this plan includes a young quarterback the franchise believes in, who is on a cheap rookie contract. This allows the Vikings extra financial flexibility which they can be aggressive with in other areas of their roster.
“As was told to me, the Vikings feel like J.J. McCarthy in Day 9 of these workouts was a lot stronger than Day 1,” Fowler said on SportsCenter. “Coming off that knee issue, they knew he could start a little slowly. They like the way he’s throwing the ball. They feel very comfortable with where he’s at going into training camp. They didn’t sign Rodgers and went with McCarthy because they believe in their three-year plan, a young quarterback they like on a rookie scale so can be aggressive on the roster. They believe they can win a Super Bowl in the next three years.”
We’ve already seen this plan in action. According to Over The Cap, the New England Patriots are the only NFL team that spent more money in free agency than the Vikings. This offseason, Minnesota added Pro Bowl defensive linemen in Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, plus two former Indianapolis Colts offensive linemen, Ryan Kelly and Will Fries, who will keep McCarthy upright as he throws to a talented cast that includes Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson.
The Vikings improved on paper entering 2025, but that just puts more pressure on McCarthy. Darnold threw 35 touchdowns last season, the most ever by a player that changed teams in the offseason. He also won the most games by any quarterback in their first season with a team, and was statistically the best downfield thrower in the NFL. Can McCarthy match that kind of production in what will really be his first NFL season? The Michigan product knows he’s ready for this opportunity, and he has the backing of a franchise that will be aggressive in surrounding him with what he needs.
Go to Source
Author: Jordan Dajani
June 15, 2025 | 12:10 pm
