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StickierBuns · 03-13-2026, 05:37 AM

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7105184...ee-agency/

Analysis: The Vikings signed Kyler Murray. So what’s next for J.J. McCarthy?

medaille · 03-13-2026, 10:07 AM

I think it was a pretty reasonable article, but I don’t see any real pathways that you would get rid of JJM this offseason unless his personality is dramatically different than what we’ve been led to believe.

Getting rid of JJM this offseason locks in the losses after the first 10 games which is usually the roughest stretch in an QBs career. It also locks in a failure on KOC’s QB Whisperer reputation and switches his branding from a guy who will do anything to help maximize the potential of the QBs under his tutelage to one that just cuts guys and needs to find a high performer to make himself look good.

I think JJM will be improved after this off-season and after the season. He almost has to be and almost all players are better after some experience, but how far does that go? I don’t know. I think even a season of sitting on the bench doing nothing increases his value and reduces the risk in the unknown. Having a year of Kyler in our system and JJM having a full offseason gives us a much fuller picture of where things are. There’s also a high probability that Kyler gets injured and JJM plays some amount of games as a starter this year.

MaroonBells · 03-13-2026, 10:18 AM

(03-13-2026, 10:07 AM)medaille Wrote: I think it was a pretty reasonable article, but I don’t see any real pathways that you would get rid of JJM this offseason unless his personality is dramatically different than what we’ve been led to believe.

Getting rid of JJM this offseason locks in the losses after the first 10 games which is usually the roughest stretch in an QBs career. It also locks in a failure on KOC’s QB Whisperer reputation and switches his branding from a guy who will do anything to help maximize the potential of the QBs under his tutelage to one that just cuts guys and needs to find a high performer to make himself look good.

I think JJM will be improved after this off-season and after the season. He almost has to be and almost all players are better after some experience, but how far does that go? I don’t know. I think even a season of sitting on the bench doing nothing increases his value and reduces the risk in the unknown. Having a year of Kyler in our system and JJM having a full offseason gives us a much fuller picture of where things are. There’s also a high probability that Kyler gets injured and JJM plays some amount of games as a starter this year.

Yeah, the kid has to be ready. His future could be riding on how well he plays in the preseason, and then what he looks like when he does get an opportunity. He's going to want to give the Vikings something to think long and hard about when they do the 29yo @ $50M vs. 24yo @ $5M calculus next offseason.

purplefaithful · 03-13-2026, 10:27 AM

Agreed, a reasonable take on the situation...

Wouldnt shock me if they added another QB b4 TC either.

Hopefully JJM keeps his mind and spirits in the right place going forward. He may still have a long-term future here. Gotta let this play out now.

Good luck to Kyler in 26, I'm sure the locker room is energized to have him here.

supafreak84 · 03-13-2026, 10:59 AM

I'm firmly in the JJ McCarthy camp here. I don't think he'll get a real chance to start now with Murray in the fold, but if I'm JJ, I'm looking at this knowing Murray has played 8 games or less in two of the last three years, is small, and has a tendency to get dinged up. If that plays out as has been the trend, I'm going to make it impossible for OConnell to put me back on the bench. I think that's how JJ has to look at it. There will be an opportunity at some point and he has to grab hold of it.

StickierBuns · 03-13-2026, 11:00 AM

(03-13-2026, 10:59 AM)supafreak84 Wrote: I'm firmly in the JJ McCarthy camp here. I don't think he'll get a real chance to start now with Murray in the fold, but if I'm JJ, I'm looking at this knowing Murray has played 8 games or less in two of the last three years, is small, and has a tendency to get dinged up. If that plays out as has been the trend, I'm going to make it impossible for OConnell to put me back on the bench. I think that's how JJ has to look at it. There will be an opportunity at some point and he has to grab hold of it.

Yep, I mentioned this is another thread yesterday. The only way forward with the Vikings for JJM is to hit it out of the park if Murray gets injured for any period of time. No pressure, kid.

purplefaithful · (This post was last modified: 03-13-2026, 11:23 AM by purplefaithful.)

(03-13-2026, 11:00 AM)StickierBuns Wrote: Yep, I mentioned this is another thread yesterday. The only way forward with the Vikings for JJM is to hit it out of the park if Murray gets injured for any period of time. No pressure, kid.

Only time will tell if he's capable of that at this point...I hope he is?

But (for whatever the causal is) he's gotta show out big b4 I could trust him again at QB1.

The injuries didnt help at all, but it's clear now he had the lowest floor of the QB's drafted that Round 1

supafreak84 · (This post was last modified: 03-13-2026, 11:47 AM by supafreak84.)

Also, just my opinion, but I think the fanbase has embraced McCarthy, likes McCarthy, and are invested in seeing him succeed in Minnesota. I suspect if Murray struggles, you could see the home crowd turn and want to see McCarthy get on the field pretty quickly. Just something to monitor as next season moves along

MAD GAINZ · 03-13-2026, 11:57 AM

I still contend that this is more of an open competition than the media and fans think it is. KOC has said how he liked the competition with Darnold bringing out the best in JJ McCarthy. He had a strong training camp and played really well in the preseason game. Maybe this move is intended to light a fire in JJ again and see if we get that QB we saw in 2024 prior to the meniscus injury?

Also might help keep his maturity in line if he knows there is a former #1 overall pick waiting in the wings if he doesn't take care of his business?

StickierBuns · (This post was last modified: 03-13-2026, 12:15 PM by StickierBuns.)

(03-13-2026, 11:57 AM)MAD GAINZ Wrote: I still contend that this is more of an open competition than the media and fans think it is. KOC has said how he liked the competition with Darnold bringing out the best in JJ McCarthy. He had a strong training camp and played really well in the preseason game. Maybe this move is intended to light a fire in JJ again and see if we get that QB we saw in 2024 prior to the meniscus injury?

Also might help keep his maturity in line if he knows there is a former #1 overall pick waiting in the wings if he doesn't take care of his business?

Nah, not IMO anyway. I just think playing in real games is much different than practice or preseason games. I also don't think JJM is the kind of kid that needs that kind of motivation to succeed. He's just raw and needs lots of passing reps in the NFL to break through. I always maintained, even before JJ threw one NFL real game pass, that it was going to be very up and down his first year starting. Sitting and watching will do nothing, if that were the case then he would have benefitted from the games where Uncle Sammy was putting up a master class in NFL passing in front of him.

He was a raw draft choice coming in that got injured and couldn't throw a NFL pass for a whole regular season into March the following year. No QB2 and no reps. Now it seems KOC doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to supply what he needs in development and is moving toward betting on himself in the short term and taking some risk out of the strategy.