Vikings reporter discusses J.J. McCarthy, Sam Darnold QB competition

For the regular-season opener against the New York Giants on September 8, many fans have likely assumed—and hoped—that rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings will start over Sam Darnold.

However, Vikings reporter Kevin Seifert of ESPN reminded those people in a column that ran on Thursday that Minnesota “signed Darnold for a reason,” which was before to the team selecting McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft.
“The Vikings don’t view Darnold simply as someone they can play if McCarthy isn’t ready for Week 1,” Seifert said. “It’s more accurate to understand him as a player the Vikings believe they can compete with as McCarthy moves through an organized developmental plan that prioritizes his long-term future.”

FanNation’s Will Ragatz Inside The Vikings stated this week that McCarthy still has a long way to go before he’s prepared to take on a real NFL defense in a significant game, citing multiple instances from earlier in planned team exercises “that reminded you just how much learning and growth is ahead of him.” According to John Beck, the coach of private quarterbacks, “failure during some of these camps should be welcomed with open arms” for first-year pros.

Regarding Darnold, it was stated time and time again last spring that he was “the most talented thrower of the football” among the 49ers’ players. In the end, he defeated Trey Lance in a competition for San Francisco’s QB2 position, but in his lone season with the team, he attempted just 46 passes during the regular season.

Does that imply that McCarthy won’t start for the Vikings in Week 1? Naturally not,” Seifert went on. “But they want his ascension to be organic — based on his own aptitude and readiness — rather than forced by a lack of alternatives.”

Given that he played his first three NFL seasons with the New York Jets before joining the Giants, Darnold is well acquainted with MetLife Stadium. In the spring of 2021, they traded him to the Carolina Panthers. A year ago, it was evident that some 49ers fans were okay with Darnold possibly starting games, contingent on Brock Purdy’s elbow surgery recuperation. Though it’s early in the process, it appears that the Vikings have similar thoughts before Memorial Day regarding Darnold.