The concussion to Minnesota Vikings starting QB Kyler Murray will likely mean Carson Wentz starts against the Chicago Bears in Week 2, though nothing is official. Meanwhile, J.J. McCarthy will be the backup if Wentz starts against Chicago.
McCarthy will need to be ready to enter the game at any point, given what happened to Murray in Week 1 and Wentz’s injury history. If the third-year QB sees the field at any point this season, former NFL signal-caller Kurt Warner believes it will be make-or-break time.
During a Sept. 16 appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Warner noted that whenever McCarthy does take the field for Minnesota, it will determine what the team decides to do long-term, whether that means keeping or cutting him.
“There’s the question of J.J. McCarthy and where he is, and do you want to see him right now? Is he ready? Because the bottom line with J.J. to me, is that the next time you put him in is going to be what you determine the future on,” Warner said.
“The next time you put him in, if he does not succeed in that situation, I believe you’re almost forced to move on. It’s going to be hard for an organization and a fan base to get behind a guy that’s gotten two shots and has shown that he isn’t that guy. So that’s where, to me, it gets sticky if Kyler’s out for a period of time.”
J.J. McCarthy Should Only See the Field If He’s Ready
Last season, McCarthy had 291 dropbacks, leading to a 60.1 passing grade from PFF. The former Top 10 pick completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 passing yards, 6.7 yards per pass attempt, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
Because of that production last season, Warner believes McCarthy should only see the field if he’s ready.
“Obviously, if he’s winning, that’s easy,” Warner added. “But if they’re not winning and they’re struggling, that, to me, is a huge decision that the organization is going to have to make with a guy that they drafted.
“Is he truly ready? Because I think he was thrown in last year before he was ready, and it showed that way. You don’t want to do that again if you’ve got hopes of this guy being on your roster for the long term.”
Cris Carter: Kyler Murray Should Remain Vikings Starting QB
Meanwhile, former Vikings wideout Cris Carter said that regardless of what Wentz does, Murray should remain the starter once he’s ready.
“They’re not better off without Kyler Murray,” Carter said on the Sept. 14 edition of the “Fully Loaded Podcast.” “… Carson Wentz had less than 150 yards passing, and he played over three quarters. Now Justin Jefferson, after an offseason last year when we only had two touchdowns, he cracks two touchdowns in the first week.
“They were very crafty as far as getting him into open space so he can make some plays. But Kyler Murray, this is set up for him. So, after this concussion, how many weeks is it going to take for him to get back in there?”
Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy Gets Blunt Outlook After Kyler Murray Injury