The Plan...
Coach Kevin O’Connell detailed how he wants to use J.J. McCarthy’s time this season while the rookie rehabs from a season-ending knee injury.
You won’t see rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy under center for the Vikings this season, but his development and presence around TCO Performance Center isn’t a lost cause.
In fact, McCarthy can be seen moving faster than most players walking around the facility. That’s thanks to his motorized scooter that allows McCarthy, the 10th overall pick who sustained season ending knee injury in his first preseason game, to rest his leg while cruising down the halls.
“We make a couple jokes here and there,” quarterback Nick Mullens quipped. “Keep it light.”
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said the Vikings coaching staff is intent on not wasting this season for McCarthy’s ongoing development, which was sidetracked but not shelved because of the torn meniscus suffered in his right knee sometime during exhibition vs Raiders.
McCarthy will be around the team as much as possible this season, O’Connell said. The coach’s plans for the 21-year-old rookie will include a weekly meeting together to assess that Sunday’s game plan as if he were going to play.
“I want to see him, I want his teammates to see him every day,” O’Connell said. “I want him in meetings. I’m going to meet with him personally one day a week to make sure that I can personally be challenging him on his ownership of the game plans: the why behind things we’re doing, the play intent.”
“I want J.J. to feel like he’s a support system for Sam in that quarterback room,” O’Connell added. “But at the same time, bigger picture, making sure we don’t waste one moment where there could be some growth and development and really continue that positive momentum that I think a lot of us saw in training camp before the injury.”
Positive momentum included improvement in training camp and during his only preseason action, when he completed 11 of 17 throws for 188 yards and two touchdowns against the Raiders.
McCarthy wasn’t going to start right away for the Vikings, but an entire year on the sideline can be beneficial for any rookie quarterback learning the league.
“The time to grow only helps him ,” quarterbacks coach Josh McCown said. “For him to gain as much knowledge of a system — for them to download that information at their pace and not have the rigor or strain of having to play, I think can be beneficial.”
“Some guys can do it right away,” McCown added. “We saw C.J. Stroud do it last year and at a high level. Everybody’s different, but over the history of the league you look at it there’s probably a better growth rate if you allow those guys to sit and watch, get their feet under them and know what they’re doing.”
Mullens, the 29-year-old veteran backup quarterback, said he and Darnold can do right by McCarthy by setting examples for how professionals go about their business every week. The Vikings enter this season with Darnold, Mullens and newcomer Brett Rypien leading the pecking order. And they’ve seen the young rookie stay involved despite his absence from practices.
“He’s already trying to make sheets for our play checks and things like that,” Mullens said. “He’s answering questions in meetings, so he’s doing all the right stuff.”
McCarthy, a 21-year-old who quotes Latin phrases on social media, has been keeping up on all types of reading around the facility.
“His attitude is great,” Darnold said. “He’s always trying to learn. I think that’s the biggest thing. He’s in the training room reading books all the time, doing whatever he can to keep his mind sharp right now.”
Playbooks?
“All types of books,” Darnold said. “I haven’t necessarily asked him what kinds of books he’s reading in there, but they’re very interesting.”
Source: Startribune
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
I think a year spent in the playbook and simulating game action away from the pressure of live bullets is only going to help him. My biggest concern is that the injury doesn't make him tentative next season. But I think he has the right mental makeup to avoid that. I think of Chad Greenway, who was hurt in his first preseason game and spent his entire rookie season on IR. He came back better than ever and had a long career.
MaroonBells wrote:
I think a year spent in the playbook and simulating game action away from the pressure of live bullets is only going to help him. My biggest concern is that the injury doesn't make him tentative next season. But I think he has the right mental makeup to avoid that. I think of Chad Greenway, who was hurt in his first preseason game and spent his entire rookie season on IR. He came back better than ever and had a long career.
Hey I typed this same thing word for word in another thread, years ago about Lew Cine :P :@
Clock is ticking...
Window with a rook QB salary is now down to 48 mos
:)
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
Watching KC and Balt last night quickly reminded me how much faster and more intense real games are vs pre-season.
ITs going to be eye opening for JJ to see it live and up close @ USB when he can get on the sidelines. It'll be good learning for him.
Sticky, I think you made a very good point; it sucks balls to tear a meniscus in your rook season, the way it went down is hopefully less traumatic for him and his family.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
purplefaithful wrote:
Clock is ticking...Window with a rook QB salary is now down to 48 mos
:)
Not worried about that. Realistically, despite what some of the clickbait media was saying to try and stir up a sh*tstorm of debate, it was always KOC's plan to go with Darnold and allow JJM to sit and soak it up mentally on the bench. So the assumption was that in the most likely scenario, JJM wouldn't start til next year anyway.
Now here were the variables before the JJM injury:
1. If Darnold sucked badly (or got injured), JJM would be elevated to starting
2. If Darnold just sucked a little (below average), he might or might not open the door for JJM to come in the second half of the season.
3. If Darnold took us into the playoffs, JJM would be taking mental reps all season.
4. If Darnold took us deep into the playoffs and rejuvenated his career, we might re-sign him to a 2 year extension for a whack of money, while JJM continues to marinate
5. If Darnold took us deep into the playoffs and rejuvenated his career,, he'd sign a 4-year deal for a whack of money with someone else and JJM would be the annointed starter next year.
With JJM out for the season, here are the variables:
1. If Darnold sucked badly (or got injured), Nick Mullens would be elevated to starting
2. If Darnold just sucked a little (below average), he might or might not open the door for Mullens to come in the second half of the season.
3. If Darnold took us into the playoffs, JJM would be taking mental reps all season.
4. If Darnold took us deep into the playoffs and rejuvenated his career, we might re-sign him to a 2-3 year extension for a whack of money, while JJM continues to marinate
5. If Darnold took us deep into the playoffs and rejuvenated his career, he'd sign a 4-year deal for a whack of money with someone else and JJM would be the annointed starter next year.
So really, not a whole lot has changed with JJM doing mental reps all year. The stated objective and hope from KOC since we signed Darnold was that he could perform middling or better while JJM rode the bench and absorbed the KOC offense and allowed the NFL game to slow down.
Montana Tom wrote:
Not worried about that. Realistically, despite what some of the clickbait media was saying to try and stir up a sh*tstorm of debate, it was always KOC's plan to go with Darnold and allow JJM to sit and soak it up mentally on the bench. So the assumption was that in the most likely scenario, JJM wouldn't start til next year anyway.
Now here were the variables before the JJM injury:
1. If Darnold sucked badly (or got injured), JJM would be elevated to starting
2. If Darnold just sucked a little (below average), he might or might not open the door for JJM to come in the second half of the season.
3. If Darnold took us into the playoffs, JJM would be taking mental reps all season.
4. If Darnold took us deep into the playoffs and rejuvenated his career, we might re-sign him to a 2 year extension for a whack of money, while JJM continues to marinate
5. If Darnold took us deep into the playoffs and rejuvenated his career,, he'd sign a 4-year deal for a whack of money with someone else and JJM would be the annointed starter next year.With JJM out for the season, here are the variables:
1. If Darnold sucked badly (or got injured), Nick Mullens would be elevated to starting
2. If Darnold just sucked a little (below average), he might or might not open the door for Mullens to come in the second half of the season.
3. If Darnold took us into the playoffs, JJM would be taking mental reps all season.
4. If Darnold took us deep into the playoffs and rejuvenated his career, we might re-sign him to a 2-3 year extension for a whack of money, while JJM continues to marinate
5. If Darnold took us deep into the playoffs and rejuvenated his career, he'd sign a 4-year deal for a whack of money with someone else and JJM would be the annointed starter next year.So really, not a whole lot has changed with JJM doing mental reps all year. The stated objective and hope from KOC since we signed Darnold was that he could perform middling or better while JJM rode the bench and absorbed the KOC offense and allowed the NFL game to slow down.
My post on the clock ticking was very "tongue in cheek"
I think your scenarios are very plausible..
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
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