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J.J. McCarthy under the microscope at Vikings training camp
As Vikings training camp continues in Eagan, all eyes are J.J. McCarthy with every pass he throws, good or bad. Sunday night on FOX 9 Sports Now, Pete Bercich of the Vikings Radio Network joined Jim Rich to talk about McCarthy's progress, and if he should play in Saturday's preseason game.
EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Vikings are in the middle of training camp at TCO Performance Center in Eagan, and there might not be a greater spotlight than the one on J.J. McCarthy.
J.J. McCarthy - Is he the Vikings franchise QB?
What we know:
The Vikings have high expectations for the 2025 season, and lot of that is predicated on McCarthy. He threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns in his preseason debut last year, before his season ended due to a torn meniscus in his right knee.
The Vikings moved up to the No. 10 spot in the NFL Draft last year to get the former Michigan star. Do they have their franchise quarterback? Sunday night on FOX 9 Sports Now, Pete Bercich of the Vikings Radio Network joined Jim Rich to talk about just that.
"I’m as excited as I’ve been in a long time because of the possibility of the Vikings having a franchise quarterback. It’s been quite some time since we’ve had that guy," Bercich said. "J.J. McCarthy, all eyes are going to be on him."
Struggles in pads?
Dig deeper:
McCarthy got off to a fast start in camp. One Vikings’ social media post showed him hitting Jordan Addison for a long touchdown. But since the pads have come on, McCarthy’s play has been more up and down. He's had interceptions, and the defense put together multiple days where they dominated the offense.
With every big play McCarthy makes, the Vikings are Super Bowl contenders. With every sack or interception, the quarterback position is in flux. We’ll get our first real look at McCarthy as he makes his NFL debut on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
"Mistakes aren’t a bad thing, it’s how you react to it. I’m not worried about it until the season starts," Bercich said.
McCarthy was even involved in a little bit of a dust-up at Saturday's practice. Brian Asamoah tackled Aaron Jones, which is not allowed in training camp, and both Will Fries and McCarthy took exception.
Will J.J. McCarthy play Saturday?
Why you should care:
The Vikings host the Houston Texans Saturday afternoon for their first preseason game. Will McCarthy play? Or will Kevin O’Connell not risk getting his quarterback injured and make sure he gets his reps in practice? He has not had Justin Jefferson for more than a week due to a hamstring strain.
The prevailing wisdom is McCarthy should probably play at least some in the preseason to get the feel of game snaps before Week 1 at Soldier Field.
The Vikings host their annual night practice on Monday at TCO Stadium in front of what should be a sellout crowd.