Greenberg: Vikings should trade McCarthy

[MaroonBells]

Mike Greenberg is a pretty smart guy, but this is not his best moment. I agree that the Vikings should explore the possibility of keeping Darnold, in whatever shape or form that takes. And I don't agree with some of the responses to this thread who think the Detroit game nixed that idea. It really should not have much of an impact on that decision.

I just think a lot of these talking heads have not paid much attention to the cap picture Kwesi has been carefully crafting since he came on board. The Vikings may extend Darnold, they may tag him, but the are absolutely not giving up JJ McCarthy before he's even thrown a pass in an NFL game....even for a top 10 pick. 

And if it comes down to one or the other, and if KOC thinks it's close at all between the two (and I suspect it is), then the Vikings are going to choose the $4M salary over the $40M salary. 

[purplefaithful]

Unless Sam is hoisting a Lombardi in a few weeks? NFW I trade JJM. Even then, with JJ on a rook contract?

I like Greeny and think he's a smart guy, but disagree with him here.

Vikings hold all the cards right now...Franchise Sam and buy yourself some time to make sure the kid is right & ready. Get some assets for Darnold down the road. There are QB needy teams EVERY YEAR.

No need to panic or make a decision b4 they have to.

[StickierBuns]

Sometimes I think that the whole sports media operation is in it to sustain itself with these ridiculous takes. Just create a feeding frenzy of outrageous takes that each can either comment on or just see who can push narratives that create engagement without really believing what they are saying. The ol' 'wink-wink' they know will rile up the lowest common denominators of social media for those views and clicks. This week have given me two examples of media members I didn't expect to stoop into the mire: Jay Glazer and now Mike Greenberg. Disappointing.

[DH11]

I concur I think they move JJ. I find it hard to believe they’re gonna turn over the keys to a guy that never played a down in the NFL who is basically was a  caretaker at Michigan. JJ basically had two close games in college :  One was against Bowling Green Where was through 3 horrible pics.  The other was the national championship game where he was absolutely atrocious. Pretty easy to play quarterback when your teams up 20 to 3 after the first quarter.

[Canthony]

I concur I think they move JJ. I find it hard to believe they’re gonna turn over the keys to a guy that never played a down in the NFL who is basically was a  caretaker at Michigan. JJ basically had two close games in college :  One was against Bowling Green Where was through 3 horrible pics.  The other was the national championship game where he was absolutely atrocious. Pretty easy to play quarterback when your teams up 20 to 3 after the first quarter.

Not a very good take imo. He threw for 22 TD and 5 INT in 2022 and 22 TD and 4 INT in 2023. While throwing for 70% comp. He also had a completion percentage on the run of 71.4%, which was higher than any other quarterback. 

Third-down conversion percentage: McCarthy had a 62.5% third-down conversion percentage on passes.
Third-down, 1-3 to go: McCarthy had a rating of 88.57 on third down.
Third-down, 4-6 to go: McCarthy had a rating of 121.74 on third down
Third-down, 7-9 to go: McCarthy had a rating of 177.57 on third down
Third and 7 or longer: McCarthy had a first down conversion percentage of 55.1%

McCarthy was known for his clutch performances on third down. So there you go. McCarthy’s first down conversion percentage on third and 7 or longer is an astonishing 55.1%. No other big name quarterbacks in the draft can even get their percentage into the 40% range, let alone the 50’s.

[DH11]

Not a very good take imo. He threw for 22 TD and 5 INT in 2022 and 22 TD and 4 INT in 2023. While throwing for 70% comp. He also had a completion percentage on the run of 71.4%, which was higher than any other quarterback. 

Third-down conversion percentage: McCarthy had a 62.5% third-down conversion percentage on passes.
Third-down, 1-3 to go: McCarthy had a rating of 88.57 on third down.
Third-down, 4-6 to go: McCarthy had a rating of 121.74 on third down
Third-down, 7-9 to go: McCarthy had a rating of 177.57 on third down
Third and 7 or longer: McCarthy had a first down conversion percentage of 55.1%

McCarthy was known for his clutch performances on third down. So there you go. McCarthy’s first down conversion percentage on third and 7 or longer is an astonishing 55.1%. No other big name quarterbacks in the draft can even get their percentage into the 40% range, let alone the 50’s.


go back and look at the Bowling Green game. It was actually close in the first half and he threw three horrible interceptions. The national championship game he was 10 out of 18 for a 58 rating that is horrible. Like I said most the time Michigan was up 20 to 3 after the first quarter a lot easier to play quarterback in that situation and I’m a Michigan fan but I can see average and he is very average. He was a product of basically having great players around him like Zach Wilson, Joey Harrington, Brady Quinn, Tim Couch, Drew Henson, Ponder, etc…

[MAD GAINZ]

I think Mike Greenberg is implying his Jets should give up their top 10 pick for JJ McCarthy lol

No way we trade him.

DH11, the National Championship game wasn't even close. Michigan blew out Washington. The week prior against #5 Alabama was close... And JJ McCarthy won it with his arm on the back of 220 yds, completing 63% of his passes on 27 attempts, and 3 TDs and no INTs.

He was in a run heavy system, but I don't think that is an indictment on him as a player. KOC is a believer and I am too.

Look at what Harbaugh did with the Chargers this year. Justin Hebert who I think everyone agrees was a prolific passer in college and has had a great start to his NFL career went from throwing 35-40 passes per game to 29 per game under Jim Harbaugh. Doesn't seem like much, but he had 504 passing attempts in 17 games, threw for under 4000 yds and had 23 TDs:3 INTs. In 2022, he had almost 700 passing attempts in 17 games.

Harbaugh doesn't need his QB to throw a bunch of passes to win. He wants to run the ball, play good defense, and have a QB who is efficient in the red zone and on 3rd down and doesn't commit turnovers. Kinda funny Herbert went from a passing god to having literally the same TD:INT ratio as JJ McCarthy did in college. Justin Herbert also had 7 games this season with under 200 passing yds.

Just something to think about when we're evaluating JJ McCarthy in college vs what we saw in NFL preseason and pairing him with a coach that loves to throw the football.

[hogjowlsjohnny]

The thing is, every QB has strengths and weaknesses. Sam Darnold is a fine QB when given time. He's a bit of a slow processor and holds the ball, but he is special accurate on intermediate and long throws. He also is pretty good at escaping pressure. Because he is a slow processor he isn't gifted at on schedule passes. Give him better protection than what the Vikings have, and he will carve you up with the receivers he currently has. I believe JJM could do the same with better protection.
Improve the Oline and either QB will do well with better protection and a better run game. Improvement in the O-line is the key to the future on offense. But it may not make a difference if Flores leaves. I don't see any defensive coordinator out there that can get the same production out of this defensive roster.
I don't know what the Vikings are going to do with Darnold, but they would be stupid to trade JJM!

[DH11]

I think Mike Greenberg is implying his Jets should give up their top 10 pick for JJ McCarthy lol

No way we trade him.

DH11, the National Championship game wasn't even close.  Michigan blew out Washington.  The week prior against #5 Alabama was close...  And JJ McCarthy won it with his arm on the back of 220 yds, completing 63% of his passes on 27 attempts, and 3 TDs and no INTs.

He was in a run heavy system, but I don't think that is an indictment on him as a player.  KOC is a believer and I am too.

Look at what Harbaugh did with the Chargers this year.  Justin Hebert who I think everyone agrees was a prolific passer in college and has had a great start to his NFL career went from throwing 35-40 passes per game to 29 per game under Jim Harbaugh. Doesn't seem like much, but he had 504 passing attempts in 17 games, threw for under 4000 yds and had 23 TDs:3 INTs.  In 2022, he had almost 700 passing attempts in 17 games.

Harbaugh doesn't need his QB to throw a bunch of passes to win. He wants to run the ball, play good defense, and have a QB who is efficient in the red zone and on 3rd down and doesn't commit turnovers.  Kinda funny Herbert went from a passing god to having literally the same TD:INT ratio as JJ McCarthy did in college. Justin Herbert also had 7 games this season with under 200 passing yds.

Just something to think about when we're evaluating JJ McCarthy in college vs what we saw in NFL preseason and pairing him with a coach that loves to throw the football.


JJ was terrible in the national championship game. It was obvious the head coach did not trust him to pass the ball.  I encouraged you to pull up the Bowling Green /Michigan game. He was absolutely horrendous and admitted after the game the defense had him confused after throwing three horrendous interceptions.

He’s in the long line of average college quarterbacks surrounded by NFL level talent.

seven years from now he’ll be on his third or fourth team backing somebody up.

[kmillard]

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