What concerns me about the JJ McCarthy pick

[badgervike]

I'm high on JJM as well, and excited to see him sling it for us. But I do agree with the other poster about the Vikings apparently tweaking his mechanics... Hopefully it's a small tweak. Because to me that is playing with fire a bit. I just read an article about how the Steelers are telling Justin Fields to forget all of the tweaks the Bears made and getting him back to basics.
I think of Tiger Woods who famously has tweaked his swing over the years and never reached the successes of his "natural" swing motion. There's countless other examples of NBA players tweaking their shot too: both good examples where the results helped, and bad ones.
If the kid can throw, and that's why we drafted him, then let's let him do that. Small adjustments okay fine but I'm not sure I love anything beyond that. I do trust the team to be smart here but if I hear the term, "ball of clay" one more time I might hurl.

Didn't I read that the "mechanics" they were working on involved mainly footwork not throwing motion.  I think it was more about changing his lead foot when taking the snap.  I also did see they were working on getting him to put some air under balls when there's space to allow the receivers to run under the ball rather than throw it hard every time ala Favre.  I haven't read anything specific about tweaking the throwing motion.

[MaroonBells]

I don't think I could point to anything specific about McCarthy that concerns me. The NFL has been picking college QBs they hope can play in their league for nearly a century, and they seldom get it right. If there were any rhyme or reason to it, Tim Couch and Drew Bedsoe would be in the Hall of Fame and no one would know the names Tom Brady and Brock Purdy. 

Sometimes, after the fact, you can point to fatal character flaws like with Ryan Leaf and Johnny Manziel. Sometimes you can't. So whatever that elusive, indefinable characteristic is, I hope JJ has it and he gets the time he needs. You can't fuck up a QB by having him sit too long, but you sure can by having him play too early. 

Most of the ingredients for success seem to be there with JJ. But you can throw all the right ingredients into a pot and still not end up with the soup you were trying to make.

[pattersaur]

I don't think I could point to anything specific about McCarthy that concerns me. The NFL has been picking college QBs they hope can play in their league for nearly a century, and they seldom get it right. If there were any rhyme or reason to it, Tim Couch and Drew Bedsoe would be in the Hall of Fame and no one would know the names Tom Brady and Brock Purdy. 

Sometimes, after the fact, you can point to fatal character flaws like with Ryan Leaf and Johnny Manziel. Sometimes you can't. So whatever that elusive, indefinable characteristic is, I hope JJ has it and he gets the time he needs. You can't fuck up a QB by having him sit too long, but you sure can by having him play too early. 

Most of the ingredients for success seem to be there with JJ. But you can throw all the right ingredients into a pot and still not end up with the soup you were trying to make.

Yep. To the bolded-- it's a total guessing game. And yet everyone here, including me, is certain JJM will be the next Elway ha. I'm completely closed off to the possibility he might stink, even though the unfortunate likelihood is he will. That's why I do kind of chuckle when I see threads of people who are ecstatic we got who we got, and didn't secure the trade up for Maye. Sure, I enjoy paying less for a car too. But does it run? Only time and luck will tell.

[MAD GAINZ]

I'm high on JJM as well, and excited to see him sling it for us. But I do agree with the other poster about the Vikings apparently tweaking his mechanics... Hopefully it's a small tweak. Because to me that is playing with fire a bit. I just read an article about how the Steelers are telling Justin Fields to forget all of the tweaks the Bears made and getting him back to basics.
I think of Tiger Woods who famously has tweaked his swing over the years and never reached the successes of his "natural" swing motion. There's countless other examples of NBA players tweaking their shot too: both good examples where the results helped, and bad ones.
If the kid can throw, and that's why we drafted him, then let's let him do that. Small adjustments okay fine but I'm not sure I love anything beyond that. I do trust the team to be smart here but if I hear the term, "ball of clay" one more time I might hurl.

This whole footwork thing is being blown out of proportion.  It's not something JJ is/was doing wrong, it's just the way the O'Connell and Phillips want it because that set up works well with their offensive concepts.  Kirk had to learn it when KOC got here, same for Dobbs, Hall, Mullens, etc.  Just wanted to clarify this because I'm seeing countless articles using it to "slam" the kid.

[StickierBuns]

This whole footwork thing is being blown out of proportion.  It's not something JJ is/was doing wrong, it's just the way the O'Connell and Phillips want it because that set up works well with their offensive concepts.  Kirk had to learn it when KOC got here, same for Dobbs, Hall, Mullens, etc.  Just wanted to clarify this because I'm seeing countless articles using it to "slam" the kid.

I've seen more gotcha headlines this offseason for various garbage sites and fringe sports sites looking for views than ever. Do a Google search for JJ McCarthy and see how sites like Heavy, etc. twist a story to make a headline for less savvy fans to click on. Its nuts. Its like this not just for JJM, but anyone really. Caleb Williams is currently taking the brunt of it by having 'bad practices'....or contrarily, any rookie QB completing a 15 yard pass with no defenders is 'the NFL's next King'. lol. Sigh.

[MaroonBells]

I've seen more gotcha headlines this offseason for various garbage sites and fringe sports sites looking for views than ever. Do a Google search for JJ McCarthy and see how sites like Heavy, etc. twist a story to make a headline for less savvy fans to click on. Its nuts. Its like this not just for JJM, but anyone really. Caleb Williams is currently taking the brunt of it by having 'bad practices'....or contrarily, any rookie QB completing a 15 yard pass with no defenders is 'the NFL's next King'. lol. Sigh.

Yes, this kind of "reporting" is getting worse and worse. Fansided has started writing templated hit pieces in that Heavy.com style on all their team pages. 

Vikings site: Future Vikings nightmare has 'rough day' during Bears OTAs
Bears site: JJ McCarthy's Vikings career is off to a brutal start, has "a long ways to go"

I mean how can you not just laugh out loud reading that? But clicks they get. And money they make. The whole McCarthy piece was based on a quote from the first day of OTA's saying something like "he has a long ways to go but we're pleased with where he's at right now." Brutal start, man. LOL

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Yep. To the bolded-- it's a total guessing game. And yet everyone here, including me, is certain JJM will be the next Elway ha. I'm completely closed off to the possibility he might stink, even though the unfortunate likelihood is he will. That's why I do kind of chuckle when I see threads of people who are ecstatic we got who we got, and didn't secure the trade up for Maye. Sure, I enjoy paying less for a car too. But does it run? Only time and luck will tell.

I don't think anyone's certain about anything. Just cautiously optimistic. 

Like many, I wanted to trade up for Maye, but only because that's who the Vikings seemed to want the most. I figure KOC knows more than I do about what he needs to run his offense. But I was definitely underwhelmed by Maye's tape and started wondering why the Vikings liked him so much more than McCarthy. Washington liked McCarthy over Maye, why didn't the Vikings?

[StickierBuns]

I really just started this thread to look at the other side of what the vast majority of fans think of as a very good rookie QB selection with excellent upside. I am a Michigan fan and don't want to get too close to the trees to not realize he has weaknesses. I actually feel I do a decent job of that with a kid I've been watching for a long time.

[purplefaithful]

I don't think anyone's certain about anything. Just cautiously optimistic. 

Like many, I wanted to trade up for Maye, but only because that's who the Vikings seemed to want the most. I figure KOC knows more than I do about what he needs to run his offense. But I was definitely underwhelmed by Maye's tape and started wondering why the Vikings liked him so much more than McCarthy. Washington liked McCarthy over Maye, why didn't the Vikings?

Some time in the next few years, we'll be able to answer;

Would getting Maye have better than JJM + Turner?

[StickierBuns]

Some time in the next few years, we'll be able to answer;

Would getting Maye have better than JJM + Turner?

But we weren't ever going to get Maye, that's the thing I think some fans aren't factoring in. I knew damn well NE was going to take a QB, they desperately needed one. The Patriots were never going to trade with anyone, Minnesota included. Washington wasn't moving. The question then becomes who will be better: Penix, JJM or Nix? That's what was in the reality wheelhouse to obtain.

[purplefaithful]

But we weren't ever going to get Maye, that's the thing I think some fans aren't factoring in. I knew damn well NE was going to take a QB, they desperately needed one. The Patriots were never going to trade with anyone, Minnesota included. Washington wasn't moving. The question then becomes who will be better: Penix, JJM or Nix? That's what was in the reality wheelhouse to obtain.

I agree re: Maye

Penix was never an option as he was drafted @8. 

So does that leave JJ vs Nix? 

No, cause all of these QB's will be measured vs each other for years regardless now that I think about it more.