We may have a bit of an idea as to the Minnesota Vikings quarterback plan for Friday night’s preseason finale. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy missed practice on Wednesday due to his ankle injury. The team hopes that he will start Friday’s preseason finale against the Denver Broncos. The Athletic’s Alec Lewis reported this.
McCarthy has been in the middle of a quarterback competition throughout the course of the preseason. He ended up playing four series with the second-team offense on Saturday, which lasted over 18 total snaps. He went five-of-10 on the afternoon drive for 81 yards. He was also sacked one time.
Now, he will have another chance to show what he can do as the regular season inches closer. Lewis elaborated on this.
Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell says QB J.J. McCarthy is getting a day off today for his ankle injury from last Saturday. Team hopes to have him start the game.
Despite his struggles on Saturday, there were some positive moments. This included a 50-yard pass to Tai Felton, which put the Vikings in scoring position.
However, the drive did not end as well as it started. Felton was open in the end zone on second down, and McCarthy overthrew him. He missed Myles Price in the flat on fourth-and-goal on the same drive, which resulted in a turnover on downs.
To make matters even more complicated, McCarthy suffered an injury scare in the game. O’Connell pulled the quarterback after the first quarter, after he took some hits. Now, he is continuing to nurse that ankle injury.
Vikings QB Has Had Roller Coaster Preseason
McCarthy has had an up-and-down preseason so far. He has appeared in both games, going 13-of-24 for 157 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He has also been sacked three times. He went eight-of-14 in the preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. He threw for 76 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, taking two sacks as well. The highlight of his day was a touchdown pass to Jeshaun Jones.
The performance on Saturday certainly did not build a ton of confidence. However, one has to wonder how significant the injury was at the time of its occurrence.
Friday’s Start Could Loom Large For Vikings
Friday’s start against the Broncos is a massive development for McCarthy. For one, he is in a backup battle with Carson Wentz right now. A strong showing could officially elevate him to the second quarterback spot. Wentz, who has also had a strong preseason, is fighting for that spot right now.
There have also been plenty of trade rumors regarding McCarthy. These rumors only heated up after losing the starting quarterback job to Kyler Murray earlier this month. If McCarthy wants to stay a member of the Vikings, this could be his last chance to show what he can do at a high level. This can also give him an opportunity to put things on tape for any potential team that would be interested in him.
Either way, the fact that he is starting Friday’s game is certainly newsworthy. It’s common for backups to start preseason finales. There is nothing out of the ordinary about that. However, McCarthy has an opportunity to really finalize his case with the Vikings, or at least put some things on tape for prospective teams looking to trade for him.
McCarthy needs to make the most of this opportunity. Certain situations throughout this process have landed out of his control, but his performance on Friday could go a long way towards making a statement.
Vikings Give Major J.J. McCarthy Injury Update