The Minnesota Vikings quarterback competition has generated a lot of buzz and has also drawn some criticism for both quarterbacks along the way. Vikings legend Cris Carter criticized J. J. McCarthy earlier this week, and now we are hearing more criticism, McCarthyâs way. This time it comes from an anonymous NFL executive, who spoke to CBSSports Matt Zenitz earlier this week.
McCarthy lost the starting job to Murray after what was a highly-scrutinized quarterback battle. Now, the next step for McCarthy is to make the most of this preseason. It starts on Saturday when the Vikings take on the New York Giants. This preseason could be important in terms of McCarthy upping his value to others across the league.
As Zenitz notes, McCarthy isnât exactly viewed highly by those around the NFL.
“When you turn on the film, you see why he was drafted (so early),” a front office official said. “The packaging and the physical ability is starting caliber. He’s athletic. He’s mobile. He’s got a strong arm. He can complete passes at multiple levels of the field. But there’s probably some underlying causes and a variety of factors that have contributed to his inconsistent playing performance. So can he improve and mature? We’ll see.”
Vikings QB Has Had Succcess At Other Levels
This is certainly interesting to hear. Although his body of work may have been inconsistent at the NFL level, he was a productive college quarterback. He threw for 6,226 passing yards, 49 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He went 27-1 as a two-year starter with Michigan. That was the highest winning percentage for a starting quarterback in modern FBS history.
McCarthy was part of the 2023 Michigan team that won the national championship. That particular year was very successful for him, as he threw for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and four interceptions.
McCarthy won Big Ten quarterback of the year accolades that year, and set the Michigan program single-season record for completion percentage at 72.3%, according to statistics from Sports Reference.
The torn meniscus injury that McCarthy suffered happened in the preseason last season against the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024, and it sort of set his timeline back a bit.
2025 was the year when he had to get re-adjusted and get back to playing football. McCarthy certainly had inconsistencies, throwing for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He showed flashes of being able to play and compete at a high level. Nevertheless, the inconsistencies loomed large, both in terms of overall play and in terms of how he recovered from the injury.
McCarthy Will Adjust To Vikings Backup Role
Now, he will take on a backup role with Murray at the helm. Thereâs no doubt that McCarthy has talent and can play at a high level. As a matter fact, he has already been linked to as a potential fit for several teams via mock trades and things of that nature. One would have to wonder what he could do with proper development and getting a fresh start in a new organization.
The upside is definitely there for McCarthy. Playing in the Big Ten is not easy, and there is certainly something to be said for his collegiate accolades as they relate to overall production. A team in desperate need of a quarterback, or a team that can take on a developmental project, could benefit most from McCarthy.
McCarthy has made it clear that he likes the Vikings organization and wants to stay in Minnesota. Nevertheless, his potential combined with already having game action at the NFL level, could be too much for a team to pass up on. What he can bring to the table may outweigh the risks that he could present.
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