2024 NFL Draft Class: Caleb Williams - Cover of Madden Jayden Daniels - NFC Championship Appearance Drake Maye - Super Bowl Appearance Bo Nix - AFC Championship Appearance* Michael Penix Jr - Can’t beat out Tua + injured JJ McCarthy - Third string QB

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NegativeProjectionSep 9, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

McCarthy's 2025 rookie season was marked by injury and poor performance: he sustained a high-ankle sprain in Week 2 that sidelined him for five games, returned in Week 9 but struggled with accuracy, completing just 57.6% of his passes for 163.2 yards per game with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions across 10 starts. He failed to complete more than 56% of his passes in four consecutive games, contributing to the Vikings' 9-8 record and playoff miss. The Vikings subsequently signed Kyler Murray in the offseason, effectively ending McCarthy's tenure as the starter.

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NegativeDepth ChartSep 9, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick in 2024, has been named the Vikings' No. 3 quarterback behind starter Kyler Murray and backup Carson Wentz for the 2026 season opener against Green Bay. Head coach Kevin O'Connell cited Wentz's 99 career starts and experience as the reason for the decision, describing the backup situation as "week-to-week." McCarthy will continue to get practice reps but has lost his starting job after a disappointing 2025 rookie campaign.

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NegativeDepth ChartSep 9, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

McCarthy, the 2024 third-round draft pick, has been demoted to third-string quarterback for the Vikings' Week 1 matchup against Green Bay, behind starter Kyler Murray and backup Carson Wentz. Coach Kevin O'Connell characterized the arrangement as 'week-to-week' rather than season-long, but McCarthy is now two spots removed from game action. O'Connell noted McCarthy remains 'a beacon of energy' and a 'young player with so much football ahead of him,' suggesting the door remains open for future opportunity if McCarthy demonstrates readiness and can contribute with limited reps.

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NegativeDepth ChartSep 9, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

McCarthy has fallen from franchise quarterback prospect to third-string on the Vikings depth chart behind starter Kyler Murray and backup Carson Wentz heading into the 2026 season opener against the Packers. The source notes McCarthy missed his entire 2024 rookie season with a knee injury and did not perform well when given starting opportunities in 2025, leading the Vikings to move on despite his guaranteed four-year, $21.8 million rookie contract. Head coach Kevin O'Connell stated Wentz's nearly 100 career starts made him the better backup option, though O'Connell insisted McCarthy would continue to receive developmental work. The source suggests it is entirely possible McCarthy has played his last game as a Viking.

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NegativeDepth ChartSep 9, 2026NFL - The Athletic

McCarthy will not back up starter Kyler Murray in Week 1; instead, Carson Wentz holds the QB2 role, raising questions about McCarthy's future with the Vikings franchise.

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PositiveNewsSep 9, 2026SleeperNFL

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Carson Wentz has been named the backup QB for Week 1. JJ McCarthy is QB3.

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PositiveNewsSep 9, 2026Underdog NFL

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O'Connell: Carson Wentz will serve as QB2 in Week 1. JJ McCarthy at QB3.

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NegativeProjectionSep 8, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

J.J. McCarthy was one of three quarterbacks used by the Vikings in 2025 as they went 9-8; his role in 2026 remains unclear with Kyler Murray's arrival.

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NegativeRoleSep 8, 2026Windy City Gridiron

The Vikings organization claims to have faith in McCarthy, but it was clear from the start that they didn't trust who he could be in 2026, which led them to sign Kyler Murray; McCarthy's future is uncertain as all eyes will be on Murray in 2026 and potentially beyond.

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NegativeRoleSep 8, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

The Vikings organization still claims to have faith in McCarthy, but it was clear from the start that they didn't trust who he could be in 2026, which led them to acquire Kyler Murray; injuries have continued to be one of many issues plaguing a slow start to his NFL career.

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NegativeProjectionSep 7, 2026Turf Show Times

J.J. McCarthy's performance is questioned sarcastically by the source, implying he must 'really stink that bad' given the Vikings' continued QB uncertainty despite having a strong defense; his struggles are cited as a reason the Vikings cannot be a Super Bowl contender.

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NegativeDepth ChartSep 7, 2026Fantasy Points Fantasy Football

Derek Brown notes that the quarterback competition between the starter and JJ McCarthy lasted longer than expected, describing the bar for winning the job as 'really low'.

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NegativeRoleSep 7, 2026Daily Norseman

J.J. McCarthy's future remains uncertain and could position him as QB3; his role depends on his own development, Kyler Murray's performance, and potential trade interest. The source notes his story is not yet written, suggesting significant roster flexibility around the young quarterback.

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NegativeProjectionSep 7, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

McCarthy underperformed expectations in his first full season as a starter, with a passer rating and ANY/A that ranked among the worst in the league. The source compiled average stats of 27 first-round quarterbacks landing in 'good' situations in their first full season as a starter, and only Mark Sanchez had a slightly worse season than McCarthy in terms of passer rating and ANY/A (Sanchez did not have the offensive weapons McCarthy had). Given McCarthy's relative performance compared to his backups last season, it didn't really matter that he missed seven games and departed a couple others early due to injury. His 2025 QBR was 35.6, contributing to the Vikings' weighted average QBR of 35.4.

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NegativeProjectionSep 7, 2026Daily Norseman

McCarthy underperformed expectations in his first full season as a starter in 2025, despite having top offensive weapons. The source compiled average stats of 27 first-round quarterbacks landing in 'good' situations in their first full season as a starter; only Mark Sanchez had a slightly worse season than McCarthy in terms of passer rating and ANY/A, and Sanchez did not have the offensive weapons McCarthy had. McCarthy missed seven games and departed a couple others early due to injury, and his relative performance compared to his backups last season meant the Vikings' quarterback play remained among the worst in the league.

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NegativeInjurySep 6, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

McCarthy became the first quarterback drafted in the first round to miss his entire rookie campaign due to injury in the NFL's modern draft era (since 1967), forcing the Vikings to rely on Darnold as a hedge.

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NegativeInjurySep 6, 2026Hogs Haven

McCarthy became the first quarterback drafted in the first round to miss his entire rookie campaign because of injury in the NFL's modern draft era (which began in 1967). The Vikings evaluated him in just 10 games and 243 pass attempts before benching him in favor of Kyler Murray, far quicker than Christian Ponder's evaluation period (35 games and 1,013 pass attempts over three seasons).

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NegativeDepth ChartSep 3, 2026Daily Norseman

McCarthy is fine as a No. 2 quarterback in Minnesota's backup situation, which is fairly deep. Last season McCarthy went down with injuries, highlighting the importance of the Vikings' depth at the position.

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PositiveRoleSep 3, 2026Daily Norseman

Vikings GM Nolan Teasley confirmed he expects J.J. McCarthy to be on the Week 1 roster. McCarthy's role is to continue developing, improving, and supporting teammates; he has performed excellently in that capacity since Teasley's arrival. McCarthy did not play in the final preseason game due to an ankle injury that head coach Kevin O'Connell said would not be long-term; he has since practiced in full for two consecutive days. Teasley views McCarthy as talented with good arm strength and underrated athleticism, noting he was a first-round pick for a reason and his story is not yet written despite having started only 10 games.

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NegativeInjurySep 3, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

J.J. McCarthy is sidelined by injury heading into the 2026 season, forcing the Minnesota Vikings to turn to Kyler Murray as their QB1 for Week 1 and beyond.

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NegativeMatchupSep 3, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

McCarthy faces Giants' defensive pressure scheme that confuses blockers and muddies his reads; pressure from Kelly flushes him from pocket on zone blitz play.

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PositiveRoleSep 2, 2026NFL - The Athletic

Vikings GM Nolan Teasley expressed confidence in McCarthy's future with the team, stating he expects McCarthy to be on the roster this season and that he's excited about the young QB's future, emphasizing that 'His story is not written.'

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NegativeDepth ChartSep 2, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

GM Nolan Teasley declined to specify McCarthy's depth chart role behind Kyler Murray, stating he would not comment on depth immediately. Carson Wentz is also on the 53-man roster, and the Vikings could wait until submitting inactive lists before Week 1 to clarify the backup quarterback situation.

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PositiveInjurySep 2, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

J.J. McCarthy was a full participant in practice the last two days after suffering an ankle injury in the second preseason game. Vikings GM Nolan Teasley expects McCarthy to be on the roster for the Week 1 opener against the Packers, indicating the ankle injury will not impact his availability for the season.

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NegativeProjectionSep 2, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL

The source indicates the Vikings seemingly missed badly on McCarthy, suggesting the team may need to plan for a quarterback of the future rather than rely on him as a long-term solution.

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