The Minnesota Vikings put all their eggs in the J.J. McCarthy basket.
Except, well, did they really want to?
That’s what former NFL offensive lineman turned NFL analyst Ross Tucker is wondering.
In a recent appearance on the Purple Daily, Tucker laid out his worries about how the Vikings handled things this offseason in arriving at their starting quarterback.
“No matter what the Vikings say about J.J. McCarthy… they wanted Darnold back,” Tucker said. “They wanted Daniel Jones back. They were offering these guys over 10 million bucks a year to come and be their quarterback… So they have some doubt about McCarthy.”
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Darnold is now in Seattle on a $100.5 million deal. Jones is competing with Anthony Richardson for the starting job in Indianapolis.
The Vikings swung a trade for Sam Howell to back up McCarthy, but there won’t be any competition for the QB1 spot.
McCarthy was the No. 10 overall pick in 2024 out of Michigan. He played in the preseason but a knee injury in August knocked him out for the season.
The Vikings seem outwardly optimistic about McCarthy’s chances this season. They certainly hope he’s ready, because the rest of the team is a dangerous playoff outfit. Minnesota can make noise, but only if the quarterback they’ve got can lead the way.
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