What concerns me about the JJ McCarthy pick

[StickierBuns]

Although he's 'my guy' as a draft pick, he's not without concerns for me. I've mentioned a few sporadically over the last month or so, but here's the short list:

• He'll be an accurate enough passer to be a great NFL QB. 
  
• That, despite current assurances from KOC, he won't get the required time to learn as a non-starter....he needs it IMO.
  
• Needs to learn to progress through that first read and find the secondary, etc. progressions.
  

He's got some outstanding strengths and I've probably said them ad nauseam. But these are the legit concerns as I see them. Obviously the coaching staffs knows this and more, has a plan and will work that plan to provide a successful entry into the NFL for him. But the best laid plans of mice and men.....fingers crossed. 

[wiviking]

I think of all the first round QB's taken, he has the best, or nearly the best chance to be the franchise guy we've been hoping for.

What he doesn't have:
The ego of Caleb Williams.
The mechanical issues of Maye.
The injury history of Penix.
The douchebaggery of Sean Peyton to deal with every day.
The need to be thrust into a starting role before he is ready.

Daniels is missing from that list, because I don't know of any knock against him. He's gonna be a star and be one early. At least I think so. Of course, he is with the Commanders.



By all accounts, JJM has the attitude and desire to succeed. Add to that having JJ, Addison, and TJH. Add in that he went to the team that he was hoping for. As a bonus, he's mobile with a good pocket presence.

We have a lot of reasons to be optimistic.

[Vanguard83]

Saw they were working on his "footwork" - I often wonder how much focus should be spent on "re-learning" spent on mechanics. In my mind if the kid can sling the rock, who gives a flyin' F - Learn the offense, get your reps, watch tape, work your progressions. Like trying to learn how to write left handed when you've been writing with your right - But my wife tells me I'm wrong about so much, I'm most likely wrong here too.

[StickierBuns]

Saw they were working on his "footwork" - I often wonder how much focus should be spent on "re-learning" spent on mechanics. In my mind if the kid can sling the rock, who gives a flyin' F - Learn the offense, get your reps, watch tape, work your progressions. Like trying to learn how to write left handed when you've been writing with your right - But my wife tells me I'm wrong about so much, I'm most likely wrong here too.

Saw that article: talk about being an offseason, B.S. piece. It talked about when he's in the shotgun and having his left foot slightly in front of the other instead of both feet the same. LMAO. And you've got a guy like Drake Maye who's never called plays in the huddle and rarely taken snaps from under center. These 'reporters' get a nugget and act like its noteworthy.

[badgervike]

Daniels is missing from that list, because I don't know of any knock against him. He's gonna be a star and be one early. At least I think so. Of course, he is with the Commanders.

I think the question mark with Daniels is the elite WR's he had to throw to.  Nabers went before McCarthy in the draft and Thomas Jr. went at 23.  As you pointed out, the success of LSU against other college teams may be way different than the success of the Commanders against the NFL

[NorseFeathers]

I say this being completely nonjudgmental, but his bout with depression is the only thing that concerns me.  This coming from personal experience, that being introspective and self-aware is mostly a good thing, but it can steer you off course when you least expect it. Otherwise, I think he's got all of the tools, both tangible and intangible, and I'm glad he's a Viking. I look forward to cheering for him.

[StickierBuns]

I say this being completely nonjudgmental, but his bout with depression is the only thing that concerns me.  This coming from personal experience, that being introspective and self-aware is mostly a good thing, but it can steer you off course when you least expect it. Otherwise, I think he's got all of the tools, both tangible and intangible, and I'm glad he's a Viking. I look forward to cheering for him.

https://www.si.com/college/michigan/foot...depression

[MaroonBells]

I think the question mark with Daniels is the elite WR's he had to throw to.  Nabers went before McCarthy in the draft and Thomas Jr. went at 23.  As you pointed out, the success of LSU against other college teams may be way different than the success of the Commanders against the NFL

I think this is one of the more under-considered facts about the rookie QB class. McCarthy's receivers weren't exactly trash, but they weren't elite like Daniels had with Nabers and Thomas, Williams with Addison and Penix with Odunze. 

I think once he gets the offense down, McCarthy is going to thrive throwing the ball to Jefferson, Addison and Hockenson.

[Montana Tom]

I was not aware of JJM's bouts of depression...was it last season?
It sounds like he had been trying to be someone else and not living up to his lofty expectations. When he came to accept who he was, he balanced himself. I think that's what experience and self-awareness teaches. I'm not concerned about this situation.

And Sticky, your middle concern about him not getting the time to learn as a non-starter (being thrust in their too early), well, it remains to be seen. I think the pressures of starting a #10 pick in his rookie year have been allayed to a large degree. The media and fans want to stir the pot to guess when this year he will start. While KOC and Kwesi are optimistic that Darnold will give them at least one year (if not more) of learning from the bench. That's what we're all waiting to see, isn't it?

---

I think of all the first round QB's taken, he has the best, or nearly the best chance to be the franchise guy we've been hoping for.

What he doesn't have:
The ego of Caleb Williams.
The mechanical issues of Maye.
The injury history of Penix.
The douchebaggery of Sean Peyton to deal with every day.
The need to be thrust into a starting role before he is ready.

Daniels is missing from that list, because I don't know of any knock against him. He's gonna be a star and be one early. At least I think so. Of course, he is with the Commanders.



By all accounts, JJM has the attitude and desire to succeed. Add to that having JJ, Addison, and TJH. Add in that he went to the team that he was hoping for. As a bonus, he's mobile with a good pocket presence.

We have a lot of reasons to be optimistic.

I agree with you on all of those other QB issues.  You might be a little harsh on Sean Peyton (not that I disagree, but I just think that Bo Nix is in a pretty good spot there).  I think Daniels is a wild card there.  I don't think he has the coaching staff, the support talent, and he's a tad slight (6'4" 210 lbs) compared to some of the others who are a tad thicker.  We'll see.

[pattersaur]

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.