More McCarthy love.....

[MaroonBells]

Training camp reports can be biased...  but from reading multiple accounts, Darnold has been very impressive with his deep throws every day of training camp so far, but he's been inconsistent on the intermediate and shorter routes.  I would expect some of that is learning a new offense and getting timing down with a bunch of new receivers.  

It's not a concern until it is...  that said, I think Darnold will play solid this season.  KOC seems to get the best out of his QBs and Darnold has the arm to make the money throws that makes KOCs offense go.

I think that's kind of been his calling card. His deep throws are always going to look great, because he has arm talent for days. But when and where things get crowded--midfield routes, the pocket--he struggles. 

I think he could be something pretty special if he could just get some continuity in an offense he knows so well he doesn't have to think so much. But unfortunately for him he won't get that in Minnesota either.

[pattersaur]

I think O'Connell is in it for the long haul with JJ.  I think his ideal scenario is letting him sit all season and start next year.

I agree that's KO's ideal scenario. It's why they wanted Kirk around for another year, if they could swing it. But Darnold isn't Kirk.

Certainly anything can happen in the NFL but if McCarthy looks good in the preseason and we wind up something like 1-4 at the bye, the reasons for giving the kid the reins are going to outweigh the reasons for keeping Darnold in there.

I trust our coaches and organization to not make the change out of desperation, like we did with Hall last season. They have way too much invested in JJM to do that. My belief is that McCarthy will be ready enough to get in there and not be a noticeable downgrade to Darnold. Perhaps that's wishful thinking but I think it's the most likely outcome.

Whether it was Darnold, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Josh Rosen, whoever... Any of these recent high draft picks that haven't won anything in the NFL are just as unproven in the league as a rookie. Sure they have more experience but if you can't play you can't play.

Is thinking JJM can start games and play well this year for us really any more far-fetched than thinking the light will finally come on for Darnold? I'd say no. That's why a switch gets made. Not because KO is "forced" to put in JJ. I think he'll do it when he wants to. And I think that'll be sooner rather than later.

[MaroonBells]

I agree that's KO's ideal scenario. It's why they wanted Kirk around for another year, if they could swing it. But Darnold isn't Kirk.

Certainly anything can happen in the NFL but if McCarthy looks good in the preseason and we wind up something like 1-4 at the bye, the reasons for giving the kid the reins are going to outweigh the reasons for keeping Darnold in there.

I trust our coaches and organization to not make the change out of desperation, like we did with Hall last season. They have way too much invested in JJM to do that. My belief is that McCarthy will be ready enough to get in there and not be a noticeable downgrade to Darnold. Perhaps that's wishful thinking but I think it's the most likely outcome.

Whether it was Darnold, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Josh Rosen, whoever... Any of these recent high draft picks that haven't won anything in the NFL are just as unproven in the league as a rookie. Sure they have more experience but if you can't play you can't play.

Is thinking JJM can start games and play well this year for us really any more far-fetched than thinking the light will finally come on for Darnold? I'd say no. That's why a switch gets made. Not because KO is "forced" to put in JJ. I think he'll do it when he wants to. And I think that'll be sooner rather than later.

You may be right that McCarthy sees the field earlier than many of us are predicting, but I don't think that decision will have anything at all to do with Darnold's performance.  

I'm 100% convinced that even if Darnold throws a dozen picks in the first few games it's not going to have any impact on when we see McCarthy. I think he'll go in only when he knows the offense inside and out and he passes all of those benchmarks KOC has set for him. Like I've said before, I think they would tank the season before throwing their prize rookie into the fire before he's ready. 

It might be next year before he's ready, or it could happen at some point this season. Some QBs just get it earlier than others. CJ Stroud certainly did. Maybe McCarthy is that guy. Still, I'm also fairly convinced that both KAM and KOC would like to follow what the Chiefs and Packers did with Mahomes and Love.

[Knucklehead]

I think that's kind of been his calling card. His deep throws are always going to look great, because he has arm talent for days. But when and where things get crowded--midfield routes, the pocket--he struggles. 

I think he could be something pretty special if he could just get some continuity in an offense he knows so well he doesn't have to think so much. But unfortunately for him he won't get that in Minnesota either.

The middle passing game is the bread & butter of KOC's offense, so this is concerning.

[StickierBuns]

"His teammate, offensive guard Dalton Risner, even offered a ringing endorsement last week. “J.J., I mean, I see why they drafted the dude in the first round and at the pick that they did. Because he’s a good dude. He’s a good human being. He’s a stud,” Risner told CBS Sports."

The Purple Persuasion
@TPPSkol
·
48m
J.J. McCarthy "largely passed the test" and "in command as he barked out the signals and directed the WRs to their places before the snap and got rid of the ball under pressure" yesterday during the 2-min drill at
@Vikings
training camp, per
@MatthewColler
.

[purplefaithful]

As rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy and veteran quarterback Sam Darnold navigate training camp with the Vikings, head coach Kevin O’Connell has made it very clear that he has no interest in talking about the depth chart.

That said, O’Connell confirmed on Tuesday afternoon at TCO Performance Center that McCarthy would indeed get some reps with the first team soon enough, which, even if it were the plan all along, will open to door for speculation about where he stands in comparison to Darnold.

When will it happen?

“We’re moving along on our install, and things are starting to stack,” O’Connell said. “As we get to a place where we figure out that sweet spot for J.J.’s comfort, as well as Sam’s trust and understanding and what we’ve coached up to this point, we can start doing that.”

After turning some heads in the spring, Darnold earned the right to work with the first team when the Vikings reconvened in the summer. He has been up and down in training camp so far, showcasing his incredible arm talent on deep passes downfield, as well as his propensity for turnovers on interceptions over the middle.

Meanwhile, as much as McCarthy struggled through some growing pains in the spring, he has looked noticeably more comfortable in the summer. He has been zipping the ball around the field with confidence, and he hasn’t had any issues relaying the playcalls in the huddle.

You could argue that McCarthy has actually been more impressive than Darnold, though it shouldn’t come as a surprise that O’Connell wasn’t willing to go there.

“As far as rep counts and performances so far, both guys have done a lot of really, really good things,” O’Connell said. “I also think both guys have made some mistakes with the football, learning mistakes, where they’re trying to either see if they can squeeze a ball in over the middle before the safety can step in front, or maybe not taking a chance down the field in a 1 on 1 where maybe that’s our best option.”

In an effort to make sure veteran quarterback Nick Mullens doesn’t get left out, O’Connell, unprompted, praised him for being able to perform at a high level despite a decreased workload.

“You guys have seen him step in, almost cold, and go out and throw a ball over the middle for a big gain,” O’Connell said. “He has already demonstrated his ownership of our system.”

As for McCarthy and Darnold, the most interesting part of the discussion will come in the preseason, with an exhibition game between the Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders coming up in about a week and a half.

Typically, in the past, O’Connell has decided not to play his starters in the preseason. Asked if Darnold would play in the preseason, O’Connell refused to bite, simply replying, “I have a very clear-cut plan of how we’re going to handle the playing time of our entire team.”

https://www.twincities.com/2024/07/30/ye...ning-camp/

[MaroonBells]

Former Buckeye Robert Smith on his awkward admiration for former Michigan QB JJ McCarthy...and Brett Favre.

https://twitter.com/wobby/status/1822003403259568356

[purplefaithful]

Former Buckeye Robert Smith on his awkward admiration for former Michigan QB JJ McCarthy...and Brett Favre.

https://twitter.com/wobby/status/1822003403259568356

wow...

I forgot all about Wobbie. I figured he was under some cement or something for whatever happened those years ago.