Training camp has arrived

MaroonBells wrote:

...and with it, Skol Nation ushers in a new era of McCarthyism. In 5 years, do we look back on JJ's arrival in Eagan with fondness or horror?

https://x.com/vikingzfanpage/status/1815229053252587705

Looks like Darnold will be getting the largest portion of 1st teams snaps, but JJM will be getting some as well. I think that's important. Also saw Pace Jr. is getting the green dot on D for sure, pretty amazing considering he was an UDFA rookie last year.
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StickierBuns wrote:

Looks like Darnold will be getting the largest portion of 1st teams snaps, but JJM will be getting some as well. I think that's important. Also saw Pace Jr. is getting the green dot on D for sure, pretty amazing considering he was an UDFA rookie last year. I see some vets showed up with the rookies.

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The Purple Persuasion
@TPPSkol
Yes, Sam Darnold is the favorite to be the week 1 starting QB. But don't rule out rookie J.J. McCarthy quite yet. Darnold is far from a ? at this stage.

"We get a whole lot of time on the grass and three preseason opportunities to joint practices to really work through exactly where each individual [QB] is at this point in time.
- #Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell

Hehogjowlsjohnny wrote:


I hope Evans isn't their only answer. He needs to ride the pine.

He's not and they know this. They'll sign someone.

MaroonBells wrote:

The Purple Persuasion@TPPSkol
Looks like rookie QB J.J McCarthy is moving up the depth chart ?

Per@DaneMizutani “J.J. McCarthy is consistently the next QB getting work” behind Darnold. It’s only day 2 of #Vikings training camp.

I don't think this means anything in terms of the depth chart. I think it means JJ McCarthy is the future of the franchise and they're going to get him as much meaningful work as possible. Mullens will still very likely be the QB1 week one. But I love reading the following....

According to@WillRagatz
JJ McCarthy went 8-9 and a touchdown to Jalen Nailor during team drills. McCarthy had an impressive day and has been showcasing his arm strength and quick decision making.

Don't mean to be negative, but that long 'TD pass' to Nailor by JJM was not a great throw. Nailor had to pull it away from the defender as it was underthrown. I was excited as well when I read this yesterday and then I saw the actual video of it and was like meh.

MaroonBells wrote:


Thought the same thing when I saw it. It was a definitely a bit underthrown. Still, both a perfect throw and an under throw are pretty much equally meaningless at this point. What caught my eye was the 8 of 9 and the quick decision making.

Yep, obviously good to hear. And he'll continue to get incrementally better, more comfortable and then you'll see that athleticism and arm even more.

MaroonBells wrote:

Some interesting updates from today's practice....

• Cine is still not practicing. Has all the earmarks of a potential trade. 
• Vikes brought in DB Bobby McCain, but instead of putting him at corner, he's getting reps at Safety. 
• Jay Ward is practicing at CB today. May have decided it wiser to put Ward at corner than moving Bynum. 
• Darnold with 40 yard bomb to keep 2-minute drive alive but likely would've been sacked by Gabe Murphy who "exploded thru the line." 
• According to many, McCarthy once again looked very sharp in practice. Fingers crossed.

I read this morning that McCarthy is meeting with Flores to understand where his weaknesses are and to get better.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores said Monday that he has had "several conversations" with McCarthy, initiated by the quarterback. McCarthy has asked "my thoughts of areas that he can work on based on how we see it defensively or see him offensively," Flores said. "His strengths, his weaknesses, some things that we feel that as a defense that a quarterback can do to make things hard. He asks the right questions. I think he's about the right stuff."

Hmmmm.

The Purple Persuasion
@TPPSkol
HC Kevin O'Connell stated that #Vikings rookie QB J.J. McCarthy has played against the No. 1 defense and WILL get reps with the No. 1 offense.

He noted that Darnold deserved them early in camp but McCarthy will start to work in there as well.

The time is coming ?

MaroonBells wrote:


Same. I'm pretty stoked about what we're hearing about JJ, but it also makes me very nervous that KOC might be tempted to start him before he's 100% ready. Based on fan reaction, Darnold is going to get one incompletion we start hearing the chants...and this is not good. 

I'd love to believe "hey, he's ready now! 5 TDs yesterday!" but we've got to put it all in context. 

Still, I'm going to allow myself a little hot diggity damn. Long way to go and there's a big difference between 11s and game action, but we just might...MIGHT...have hit on our QBOTF and that would be HUGE news for all who bleed purple.

Yep, its encouraging but in no way definitive by any means yet. He is locking into the primary read, which is very normal when learning a playbook and being a rookie QB in the NFL less than a week into his first training camp. 

But here's where I get excited: the accuracy. He's more accurate than I thought he'd be starting out, it was my primary weakness for McCarthy. I knew he'd be a quick learner, taking concepts and new mechanics and quickly implementing them. I knew he's a leader, its showing by how his teammates and coaches respond to him. I knew the fans would quickly fall in love. I knew he'd be calm, collected and driven. What I didn't know was how long it would take for the accuracy, throwing limited passes his senior year in a run-heavy scheme....and its there early. He might turn into a Joe Burrow type with a better arm. That should excite fans. 

Long way to go. But.....giddyup so far.

Purple FTW! Podcast
@PurpleForTheWin
McCarthy has a magnetism about him. It's hard not to like him. His teammates would definitely go to his birthday party.

purplefaithful wrote:

The kid has a cannon, didnt know that.

That was one of the strangest rumors before the Combine I'd heard recently about a prospect and how utterly wrong it was. I read it pre-Combine and I'm like what?? A few lazy, lazy media people put out a wrong narrative and a few other lazier sports media people validate it by pushing it forward. Dumbest thing ever.

https://x.com/TPPSkol/status/1818991295425139037

MAD GAINZ wrote:

https://x.com/mattanderson_8/status/1818771840711770469?s=12&t=Fsf-dv40gyKIlBgIxBE2dg
[hr]
JJ with a big time throw to the left against live defense...

BOOM

Its so good, its got its own thread!  ;)

Sigh. Ed.....Ingram. Can't. Pass. block.

https://x.com/vikingzfanpage/status/1819042321607909722

https://x.com/Kramer9Tommy/status/1818815142215209067?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Practice today at 3:00 pm central, I think its full pads.

Looks like the D took the day yesterday, good learning moments for JJM. It can be hot and heavy in the pocket in the NFL, he has to feel that and learn to operate. Good stuff.

https://www.si.com/nfl/vikings/news/vikings-training-camp-recap-day-8-jj-mccarthy-takes-first-ever-reps-with-starters-01j4ahb404kt

MAD GAINZ wrote:

Sounds like Darnold and JJ both had good days today.

Reichard was his automatic self even from long range.

Asamoah is making some noise in camp...  and UDFA McGlothern and Murphy are showing out according to Flores.

Good stuff!

BOOM

Good days for both QBs yesterday....and some more NFL starter throws from JJM.

I think the Monday (today) practice in front of fans at night has been canceled because of the rainy weather. Debby is bringing us rain down here in Florida, much more in the northwest part of the state on the Gulf side as she hits landfall.

Mr. Darnold looked very good yesterday at camp, supposedly. Or do we not have any corners? lol, the age old question!

RS_Express wrote:
Tip for those watching the X vids being posted: Whatever you do, DON'T read the comments!  :P I thought I was skeptical on Darnold but these miserable bastards just piss on everybody and everything.  :sick: Ugh.

It's horrible. Don't forget all the bots out there as well, stirring the shit. Other team's fans live to rip rookie QBs of other teams. Its just vile and toxic. I never read the comments on X. Musk ruined it anyway with his changes, 60% of my feed now is garbage I can't remove because I don't pay.  As I've said before, if you want to despair for humanity and its future, read the comments on Twitter.