The Minnesota Vikings’ meetings with free agent Aaron Rodgers earlier this month revealed no worries about second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, according to coach Kevin O’Connell on Monday.
In his initial remarks on the subject, O’Connell stated, “two things can be true at the same time.” On the one hand, he stated that the franchise feels McCarthy, the No. 10 choice in the 2024 draft, is its quarterback of the future and, most likely, the present. On the other hand, Rodgers’ pedigree and desire to join the Vikings necessitated a thorough internal debate.
“We took [McCarthy] 10th in the draft last year after a very extensive evaluation process,” O’Connell stated during the NFL’s annual league meeting. “We saw many of the things we hoped for from him in a short period of time. Unfortunately, he sustained an injury, and we made the most of his’redshirt’ year. And I believe J.J. was able to take some of that and prepare for the spring.”
McCarthy, who has recovered from a torn meniscus in his right knee, became the first quarterback chosen in the first round of the NFL’s modern draft to miss his entire rookie season due to injury.
O’Connell said he kept McCarthy informed of the Rodgers discussions “borderline in real time” to ensure him knew why they were taking place.
“The second part that can be true,” O’Connell said, “is Aaron Rodgers is a four-time NFL MVP and somebody who, not just myself, but we’ve all had so much respect for competing against him, and he happened to be at a point in his career where he was free to have some real dialogue about what his future might look like, and we happened to be one of those teams that he reached out to, and I’ve had a personal relationship with him going back since my playing days.
“… But I do feel very passionately about where [McCarthy is] at right now. And based upon the information we have from the evaluation process, the time we had with him, I feel very good about anticipating a really bright year for J.J. And now we have to get to work and complete it.”
Last week, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stated that installing McCarthy as the team’s Week 1 quarterback is both “the outcome we want” and “the outcome we’re headed towards.”
The Vikings have yet to sign a veteran backup quarterback, and Adofo-Mensah said he wouldn’t rule out revisiting the Rodgers situation later this year if circumstances changed.
And, indeed, O’Connell was not ready to anoint McCarthy as his starting on Monday. When asked if McCarthy will emerge from training camp as QB1, O’Connell made it plain that McCarthy will have to earn the position.
“I feel really, really positive about the path we’re going to take with J.J. from a development standpoint, from an acceleration of reps,” O’Connell indicated. “And he’ll benefit from an offseason’s worth of reps, from the offseason program to training camp, and being in a competitive position once our quarterback room is finalized.
“… I believe it is my role as the playcaller to ensure that I am creating rapport with J.J. while also expecting a position standard that I believe he will reach, and challenge himself to meet, on a daily basis. “I’m very excited to see him do that.”
Meanwhile, Vikings owner Mark Wilf announced that the team is working on extending general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s contract, which expires after the 2026 draft.
“We’ve had very, very positive conversations,” replied Wilf, “and that’s something we’re going to continue to work towards this offseason.”
The organization renewed O’Connell’s contract in January, resulting in an unprecedented circumstance in which Adofo-Mensah oversaw a $300 million free agency shopping spree.
“Each situation is unique, and I wouldn’t read anything into it,” Wilf said of the time gap after O’Connell’s agreement.
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