The Vikings Drop J.J. McCarthy into an Uncomfortable Spot on the Depth Chart

Nobody wanted things to go this way, J.J. McCarthy least of all.

Since getting chosen at No. 10 in the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy has experienced more than his fair share of turmoil. Most notable, there have been the injures: the knee, ankle, wrist, and concussion. Adding to the problems have been more than a few inaccurate passes alongside some poorly-worded media moments.

So, what should the Vikings do?

Going into the 2026 season, the Vikings have announced that McCarthy is the QB3. Consider what the team’s social media had to say: “Head Coach Kevin O’Connell has announced that Carson Wentz will serve as the team’s backup QB on Sunday and that J.J. McCarthy will serve as the 3rd QB. O’Connell says it’ll be a week-to-week thing as far as the backup QB spot goes.”

J.J. McCarthy Now Sits in Uncomfortable Position Going into ’26 Season

For a few moments, there appeared to be some opportunity for injury to function as a convenient excuse.

GM Nolan Teasley chatted with the media last week. He fended off several questions about Mr. McCarthy, leading to proclamations about the kid’s talent and his ongoing status on the roster. When it came to his recent ankle sprain, Teasley simply confirmed that McCarthy had been practising fully. Opting for that response said much while saying very little.

McCarthy, essentially, was at a point where he could do all that was required of him on the practice field, so that reality would need to suffice when it come to satiating the curiosity of curious media members.

Moving forward, the assumption ought to be that J.J. McCarthy is fully healthy. Maybe some soreness, bumps, and bruises. Experiencing those normal aches and pains, though, are par for the course for somebody who works in the NFL.

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McCarthy’s season had moments of promise but was overall a disappointment. The kid’s completion percentage, in particular, was an eyesore since the final number finished off at a benchable 57.6%.

Going into the outset of training camp in late July, the Vikings were making promises about a true competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy to be the QB1. Minnesota then made the decision to give the starter’s crown to Murray with most of August still ahead of the team.

Pretty quickly, the focus shifted toward whether McCarthy could stay out ahead of Wentz, who had long been forecast as the QB3.

Consider what Wentz told Vikings Territory about how he understood his role on the team: “Great question. It’s help the team however I can. Stay ready, whatever that looks like. Yeah, at the end of the day it’s why I signed here is to, if my number gets called, I’m confident in what I can do and what I can bring to the table within this system especially. So we’ll see how it all shakes out.”

With the Packers game now days away, the Vikings have publicly made the call on the quarterback hierarchy. Wentz now knows his role; he’s the QB2, at least for a week. So do Murray (QB1) and McCarthy (QB3).

J.J. McCarthy is 23.

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