Probably really not that tough of a choice…🤔

Well if JJM is marginally constrained by a less-than-100% sprained ankle, then this is totally on point.

And frankly, Wentz has shown more this year in camp & pre-season than JJM.

Will JJM take this as a learning opportunity? Or will he pout?

I had a feeling Qb3 was going to be the case.

And I'm trying to think how I might have handled it at 23 and this issue out in the public like this?

Then amplified with social media. I probably wouldnt have handled it well tbh.

I hope he hangs in there, grinds away and leans on his support systems.

I still (maybe naively) hope he gets a chance here that results in a fairy tale end and a 2nd contract.

Seriously do...

Vikings name Carson Wentz QB2 ahead of Packers opener. What’s next for J.J. McCarthy?

McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 draft, has fallen to third on the Vikings’ depth chart and now faces more questions about his development and future.

Veteran quarterback Carson Wentz will back up Vikings starter Kyler Murray in Week 1, head coach Kevin O’Connell said in a news conference Wednesday.

Wentz, who re-signed this March after first joining the Vikings on a one-year contract in August 2025, supplants J.J. McCarthy in the No. 2 role.

“This gives us the best chance to win this Sunday,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell did not rule out McCarthy moving back up to the No. 2 role at some point in the season, saying the team is approaching the backup role as a “week-to-week thing.”

Early in the season, though, Wentz’s experience gives him an edge, especially since he’ll likely get few practice reps behind Murray.

“Carson, he’s got almost 100 career starts,” O’Connell said. “What he was able to do last year from a standpoint of very limited repetition, of being able to apply a career’s worth of experience, that’s kind of what you need to do as a backup quarterback, especially early on when so much of the emphasis is gonna be on getting Kyler as comfortable as we can possibly get him.”

McCarthy competed with Murray for the starting role through the beginning of camp. The 23-year-old, who the Vikings picked No. 10 overall in the 2024 draft out of Michigan, started 10 games last season.

But McCarthy has continued to show he needs further development. He’s battled injuries throughout his time in the NFL, and has been inconsistent when he is on the field.

He was pulled early from the Vikings’ preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 22 due to an ankle injury. Despite an extra day of rest in the ensuing practice week, McCarthy did not feel comfortable enough to appear in the preseason finale against the Denver Broncos.

McCarthy has since returned to practicing fully, Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley said Sept. 2. McCarthy completed nine of 17 passes for 115 yards and took two sacks in his two preseason appearances. He oversaw seven drives that ended in six punts and one turnover on downs.

O’Connell said whether McCarthy moves back up the depth chart will come down to how much progress he makes behind the scenes.

“It’s his mindset and his confidence level based upon work that can now be done with no pressure on him,” O’Connell said. “He’s still two snaps away. ... When we feel like he’s ready being one snap away with limited reps, we can obviously do that.”

Wentz completed 21 of 29 passing attempts for 188 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions through three preseason appearances, his first game action since suffering a fractured socket and torn labrum in his left shoulder against the Cleveland Browns last year. His six drives ended with one touchdown, two field goals and three punts.

Now Wentz, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft out of North Dakota State, is entering the year as the Vikings backup for the second straight season. This time, however, he’s in front of McCarthy on the depth chart instead of behind him.

“I think with a young quarterback, there’s always a big picture that’s probably a larger scale and a larger mentality than the Week 1 depth chart,” said O’Connell of McCarthy’s headspace. “I thought he’s been incredibly professional, the conversations that him and I have had both pre, during and post that [decision]. He’s excited to continue to grow and get better.”

Strib

If I were god king of the Vikings, I’d not even call the positions QB2 and QB3. I’d call Wentz the primary gameday back up and JJM would be primarily focused on developing, and if Murray gets injured and is out for the next game, decide at that point in time who the starter of the next game will be.

Fans get too fixated on their being a hierarchical rating.

medaille wrote:

If I were god king of the Vikings, I’d not even call the positions QB2 and QB3. I’d call Wentz the primary gameday back up and JJM would be primarily focused on developing, and if Murray gets injured and is out for the next game, decide at that point in time who the starter of the next game will be.
Fans get too fixated on their being a hierarchical rating.

I think (if KOC is to be taken for his spoken word) that is exactly the way it's being handled in Eagan. And probably most NFL teams as well.

The Shield requires teams release a depth chart (I believe) weekly, so thats what they do.

huh imagine that

I think it would be good for JJ to run the scout team for awhile. Once there is an injury he will move up.

I know everyone is probably sick of me saying this, but I don't get how fans can't understand this squarely puts JJM out of Minnesota at some point. The trajectory speaks for itself, at least on the same team he was drafted by. If McCarthy has more to his story, it won't be as a Viking. Can't even be trusted to be QB2. Disappointing but it literally is the writing on the wall, whether fans want to read it or not. I said this the day K1 was signed, but the board mostly didn't want to hear the hard truth.

StickierBuns wrote:

I know everyone is probably sick of me saying this, but I don't get how fans can't understand this squarely puts JJM out of Minnesota at some point. The trajectory speaks for itself, at least on the same team he was drafted by. If McCarthy has more to his story, it won't be as a Viking. Can't even be trusted to be QB2. Disappointing but it literally is the writing on the wall, whether fans want to read it or not. I said this the day K1 was signed, but the board mostly didn't want to hear the hard truth.

It's an unnecessary premature thought. He's on the roster now. Football is being played. It's about as interesting to me as trying to figure out which QB we should draft in the 2027 draft.

medaille wrote:

It's an unnecessary premature thought. He's on the roster now. Football is being played. It's about as interesting to me as trying to figure out which QB we should draft in the 2027 draft.

Under that logic, only when he's cut does the opinion become fact. That's an after-the-fact scenario, because everything else would be premature. The official act is transactional, but c'mon....the trajectory is one that only gets better somewhere else, never on the same team for a drafted QB. That's just the NFL historically.

By the way, there is a thread that talks about QBs for the 2027 Draft lol. Its not like I started another JJ thread, its pertaining to QB2 and QB3 so yeah opinions on it are here. Remember: you can always just skip a post of mine....I know you love this topic! 😜😄

U could be right Sticky...He's done the opposite of cementing himself as the QBOTF here.

But I'd be surprised if McCarthy ends-up nothing more than Qb2 or journeyman in this league. I always thought JJM had a higher ceiling than Bridgewater. And he could still make life changing $$$ doing just that.

Bridgewater made a killing banking all those contracts.

I'll continue to hope he just gets it one day and while he's here in purple.

Flip side of that is I think its highly likely the Vikings take advantage of what looks like a decent 27 Qb class - and help themselves to another one Day1 or Day2

Happy to hear KOC say QB2 is a week to week thing.

StickierBuns wrote:

I know everyone is probably sick of me saying this, but I don't get how fans can't understand this squarely puts JJM out of Minnesota at some point. The trajectory speaks for itself, at least on the same team he was drafted by. If McCarthy has more to his story, it won't be as a Viking. Can't even be trusted to be QB2. Disappointing but it literally is the writing on the wall, whether fans want to read it or not. I said this the day K1 was signed, but the board mostly didn't want to hear the hard truth.

I'm not sick of you, I give you credit for being one of the few realists on this heated topic.

When they signed KM I felt he was QB1 and when they signed Wentz I was 90% certain he was QB2. Kevin O'Connell has been driving this bus since he pushed Kwesi out the rear hatch of the plane without a chute.

So he can play quarterback competition depth chart word salad charades all summer and into the season if he feels like it. But he's going to dress Murray and Wentz on game days.

I'm pretty sure both sides want a divorce--the mystery ankle thing was JJM being shopped per several local reporters, but with no takers in a trade the Vikings have no incentive to outright release him.

If they have a good season and are doing a Kyler contract then that release will come, it's been mostly inevitable since the KM acquisition IMHO.

purplefaithful wrote:

U could be right Sticky...He's done the opposite of cementing himself as the QBOTF here.
But I'd be surprised if McCarthy ends-up nothing more than Qb2 or journeyman in this league. I always thought JJM had a higher ceiling than Bridgewater. And he could still make life changing $$$ doing just that.
Bridgewater made a killing banking all those contracts.
I'll continue to hope he just gets it one day and while he's here in purple.
Flip side of that is I think its highly likely the Vikings take advantage of what looks like a decent 27 Qb class - and help themselves to another one Day1 or Day2

This. 9 has the talent to succeed. What I like about him is that he seems to be seeing the field and going through reads. He’s not seeing ghosts. It’s all still about working his mechanics and improving accuracy and touch.

Darnold took 7 years to develop and his problems were less correctable than JJ’s.

Fans get all emotionally connected and feel like they need to move on or circle the wagons, reality is different.

Bullazin wrote:

This. 9 has the talent to succeed. What I like about him is that he seems to be seeing the field and going through reads. He’s not seeing ghosts. It’s all still about working his mechanics and improving accuracy and touch.
Darnold took 7 years to develop and his problems were less correctable than JJ’s.
Fans get all emotionally connected and feel like they need to move on or circle the wagons, reality is different.

This

StickierBuns wrote:

Under that logic, only when he's cut does the opinion become fact. That's an after-the-fact scenario, because everything else would be premature. The official act is transactional, but c'mon....the trajectory is one that only gets better somewhere else, never on the same team for a drafted QB. That's just the NFL historically.
By the way, there is a thread that talks about QBs for the 2027 Draft lol. Its not like I started another JJ thread, its pertaining to QB2 and QB3 so yeah opinions on it are here. Remember: you can always just skip a post of mine....I know you love this topic! 😜😄

I’m not saying you should only be allowed to think certain things at certain times.

I’m just saying we spent all offseason hashing this and rehashing this, over and over, and then over again. There’s a good chance JJM is going to play on the field for the Vikings this year. I don’t need to be cementing in my belief in how limited he was and always will be. It serves no productive purpose for me. Doing that would make my life worse not better. I’m choosing to just see how it all plays out rather than trying to convince myself that some other person in the world sucks.

Furthermore, the Vikings are about to play football. I think I can manage 3-4 more days of optimism before staring at the less than perfect parts of the roster.

medaille wrote:

Furthermore, the Vikings are about to play football. I think I can manage 3-4 more days of optimism before staring at the less than perfect parts of the roster.

lol, I hear you man! Point taken! 😂

If anyone forgets my take on this, just let me know 😜