Vikings could ‘redshirt’ former Michigan football QB J.J. McCarthy

The Minnesota Vikings drafted former Michigan football quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

However, it sounds like the Vikings don’t plan to start McCarthy this season. Instead, they are planning on using Sam Darnold, a former first-round pick himself from USC.

Darnold was drafted by the Jets. Yet, he struggled in New York and was traded to the Panthers before signing with the 49ers for 2023 and the Vikings this offseason. Maybe he can have a Geno Smith like turnaround. At the very least, it sounds like he’ll get his chance before the former Michigan football starter.

Vikings could redshirt Michigan football QB J.J. McCarthy

“You got JJ McCarthy so the Vikings have a detailed plan for him,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on SportsCenter. “Obviously the long-term starter and he played a lot of games in Michigan, but not in a really high volume passing attack like Minnesota might offer him. So that’s why they’re gonna incrementally bring him along, doesn’t have to start right away. It could be a situation where he gets a true redshirt year in part because I’m told the Vikings are really high on Sam Darnold.”

I understand wanting to play a veteran quarterback but most of the time, that doesn’t work out. McCarthy comes from a pro-style offense and even though he didn’t throw the ball a ton at Michigan, he can and the Vikings have some elite pass catchers.

That’s one reason why they might be tempted to stick it out with Darnold. But with Aaron Jones in the backfield too, it seems like a good chance to see what McCarthy can do.

And who knows maybe they will. Plenty of teams have said they would start the veteran until it was clear the rookie was better.

We’ll see what happens in training camp because if McCarthy wows, this discussion could be revisited.

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