Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy’s future in Minnesota has been called into question following Sam Darnold’s good start, but KSTP’s Darren Wolfson remains convinced that McCarthy is the team’s quarterback of tomorrow.
In a September 19 appearance on “Minnesota Sports with Mackey and Judd,” Wolfson discussed Darnold’s chances of landing a long-term contract in Minnesota if he maintains his current level of play.
Darnold has guided the Vikings to a 2-0 start to the season for the first time since 2016, and he is among the top five quarterbacks in the league in most advanced statistics.
Even if Darnold continues his current level of play, finishing as a top-five quarterback and guiding the Vikings to a playoff victory, Wolfson believes there is a “low chance” the Vikings will re-sign him and defer their plans with McCarthy.
“I believe it’s relatively low. I’m not saying it’s zero percent, but it’s still low,” Wolfson said, adding that coach Kevin O’Connell’s statement after McCarthy underwent season-ending meniscus surgery was a deliberate tip of the Vikings’ future at quarterback.
However, if McCarthy fails to continue up where Darnold left off, leading the Vikings to the playoffs in 2025, the decision to release Darnold may backfire.
Kevin O’Connell J.J. McCarthy was crowned the Vikings’ franchise quarterback this summer.
Following an excellent preseason debut, McCarthy had knee soreness, which turned out to be a partially torn meniscus. He had an operation before the Vikings’ combined practices.
Following an excellent preseason debut, McCarthy had knee soreness, which turned out to be a partially torn meniscus. He had an operation before the Vikings’ combined practices.
When O’Connell stated that McCarthy will miss the 2024 season, he tipped his hat to McCarthy as the long-term quarterback.
“Everyone should be excited that we got our young franchise quarterback in the building,” O’Connell stated on August 14, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
But by mid-August, O’Connell had seen enough of the 21-year-old quarterback to be confident in his declaration, which fits the Vikings’ timeline for contention.When the Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year, $10 million contract in March, it was with the understanding that he would get an opportunity to prove himself while the Vikings adopted a developmental approach with their rookie quarterback.
If Darnold continues his current level of play, his representatives would most certainly seek a long-term, starting quarterback contract comparable to Baker Mayfield’s three-year, $100 million agreement with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Vikings are already reaping the advantages of dumping Cousins’ deal by rebuilding the defense with young talent in their prime. Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Blake Cashman were all ranked among the top 100 free agents by Pro Football Focus for 2024. They all signed multiyear contracts.
Darnold is benefiting from a remade roster despite the Vikings incurring a $28.5 million dead cap hit by parting ways with Cousins this season.
That positions the Vikings favorably for 2025, when they will have the league’s fifth-most effective cap space ($65.9 million) to further strengthen the roster.
When a team believes they are just one piece away from contending, they frequently sign seasoned free agents at quarterback. Given the high expense of a veteran quarterback’s salary, this all-in approach will only endure a few years.
However, with McCarthy under contract through the 2027 season for only $5.5 million per year, the Vikings will have the salary space to continue to build around him during his development years.
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