The past couple of months have been a rollercoaster for Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy. Initially, McCarthy competed for the starting job against Kyler Murray. However, after Murray was named the starter, many assumed that the third-year QB would be the backup that’s not the case.
When the Vikings announced the QB depth chart for the Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers, McCarthy was listed as QB3, with Carson Wentz being the backup. Minnesota will revisit the depth chart every week, but for now, McCarthy is QB3.
After the Vikings made this decision, former NFL player Emmanuel Acho issued a concerning message to McCarthy that could impact his future in the league.
“As I look at it, I like J.J. McCarthy from a leadership perspective, but the NFL is a performance-driven league,” Acho said on the Sept. 9 edition of “Speakeasy.” “If you do not perform, then you can’t be in the league. Carson Wentz came up off the street and beat you out to be the No. 2.
“Kyler Murray came up off the worst team or second-worst team in the league and came up and took your starting job. So when I look at J.J. at this juncture in time, he’s got to rebuild. He’s got to get better quickly because if the Vikings give up on you, everybody will.”
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.
Is J.J. McCarthy’s Time With the Vikings Over?
Nonetheless, despite liking the leadership McCarthy can bring and urging him to improve, Acho believes the quarterback’s time in Minnesota is likely over.
“J.J. McCarthy unfortunately walked into a situation in Minnesota where he got hurt early and then, even more unfortunately, he was not able to deliver and then, most unfortunately, J.J. McCarthy was overdrafted and because he was drafted so high, the world will look at him as a bust,” Acho noted.
“It is not his fault he was drafted that high, but because he was drafted that high, the world will forever look at him as a bust. And that is the problem. That is why I say stick a fork in him. He’s done. It’s over with.”
Minnesota Doesn’t Want to Admit Their Mistake
McCarthy survived the roster cuts after training camp and the preseason, and while it’s clear he could benefit from a fresh start, the Vikings still see his potential. Nonetheless, former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe believes that the reason the former Top 10 pick is still in Minnesota is that the team doesn’t want to admit they made a mistake.
“All things being equal, they probably kick the tires around and see if somebody was willing to trade for J.J. McCarthy,” Sharpe said on the Aug. 30 edition of “Nightcap.” “That’s what I would have done. The hardest thing, the biggest mistake that I think a lot of teams make, not just in pro sports, but a lot of the time, is they won’t admit I made a mistake.
“It’s okay. People make mistakes. You choose the wrong spouse; you choose the wrong girlfriend. You choose the wrong job. They choose the wrong employee. It happens.”
J.J. McCarthy Gets Concerning Message After Vikings’ QB3 Decision