ESPN highlights tough place Vikings are with J.J. McCarthy

SportsSpotlight Stories

ESPN highlights tough place Vikings are with J.J. McCarthy

March 1, 2026

ESPN highlights tough place Vikings are with J.J. McCarthy originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Minnesota Vikings thought they were making the right decision last offseason, moving on from Sam Darnold and going with J.J. McCarthy.

But that move has backfield with McCarthy struggling and Darnold now a Super Bowl winner with the Seattle Seahawks.

As such, Minnesota is reportedly in between a rock and a hard place with McCarthy. It doesn’t view him as the surefire QB1, but it also doesn’t want to give up on him, as he only has one year of starting NFL experience.

And ESPN’s Dan Graziano has detailed exactly where the Vikings are with McCarthy.

“The Vikings are not ready to give up on J.J. McCarthy, their 2024 first-round pick who missed his rookie season because of a knee injury and struggled mightily through an injury-riddled second season in 2025,” Graziano wrote. “But they also aren’t ready to hand McCarthy the keys for 2026.”

More: Former agent details 2 Lamar Jackson options for Ravens contract talks

What will Vikings do?

That is the million-dollar question.

The Vikings want McCarthy to prove to them he is “the” guy, but his 2025 performances don’t suggest he is. Of course, one season isn’t the be-all and end-all.

But still, maybe a veteran addition to help push and coach McCarthy is the right avenue to take for Minnesota?

However, does the franchise want McCarthy to be starting while he’s learning? Or do they want him to sit behind a veteran?

That is the question Minnesota has to ask itself, because right now, the Vikings are in between a rock and a hard place at the quarterback position.

More NFL news:

Technology