The future of J.J. McCarthy with the Minnesota Vikings has become less certain with the team’s final preseason game against the Denver Broncos approaching on Aug. 28 at Empower Field at Mile High.
McCarthy’s roster spot could be in question after NBC Sports NFL insider Mike Florio suggested in an Aug. 25 article that the Vikings QB may not make the team when rosters are trimmed to 53 players on Aug. 30.
The former first-round pick is in another QB battle, this time with Carson Wentz, to determine who will back up Kyler Murray. Initially, McCarthy had that QB2 spot, but ahead of the Broncos game, he and Wentz split second-team reps.
Amid an uncertain future in Minnesota, former NFL QB Matt Leinart gave a blunt assessment of McCarthy’s outlook.
“You get in there [and] you don’t have maybe the guys around you [and] you don’t play extremely well; you only get one or two opportunities in this league, and then you’re done,” Leinart said during an Aug. 26 appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show.”
“They bring in a guy like Kyler Murray. I’m assuming Carson Wentz might be the backup, right? J.J. McCarthy might not be on the team. Big picture, I think it’s an opportunity for him to take a step back and understand, ‘Hey, this is where I need to get better, learn and grow.'”
College to NFL Transition Is a Major One for Players
Moreover, Leinart stressed how much of a jump it is for a QB to go from college to the NFL.
“I just think in this day and age, a lot of these guys are playing so much football,” Leinart added. “They’re so productive from high school to college and the system and all that. But I’m telling you, man, the NFL is a different game. It is just different.
“You can’t practice the speed. You can’t practice the mental part of it. And these kids get thrown in there, especially a kid like J.J. McCarthy, who I covered at Michigan. I think he’s a really good player. I think he’s got a shot.”
Did Vikings Reach When Drafting J.J. McCarthy?
Leinart also isn’t placing the blame on the QB, noting that franchises can put players in positions where they can’t succeed.
The former NFL QB believes that oftentimes, teams reach for a signal-caller and that player carries the pressure of living up to his draft selection. Regarding the Vikings, they invested a Top 10 pick, so McCarthy is under pressure to live up to it.
“I do think it’s unfair unless you’re a guy like Caleb [Williams] and some of these guys who are just so different skill-wise that can outplay the learning part of it. It’s tough. [McCarthy is] a good kid. He’s a good player.
“Again, it also goes back to a lot of these teams reaching for quarterbacks in the first round. That’s another thing, too. There’s such a premium to try and get your next guy that I think sometimes you overdraft.”
Last season as the starter, McCarthy had 310 pass snaps, leading to a 61.8 overall PFF grade. He also threw for 1,632 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions, while recording 19 big-time throws and 15 turnover-worthy plays.
J.J. McCarthy Gets Clear Assessment Amid Vikings Uncertainty