The timeline for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy‘s return has been muddied by travel, short weeks and, apparently, his overall ability to recover.
Approaching a Week 8 “Thursday Night Football” matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers, McCarthy is not expected to play as the team wants to see him in a full week of practice after he suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2.
Conflicting reports have left fans wondering why the team did not put him on injured reserve, and while six weeks seemed to be a possibility, the Vikings expected him to progress faster, according to The Athletic’s Diana Russini.
“They didn’t call it a setback; they just were hoping he was going to progress faster — and he didn’t,” Russini said Monday, October 20, on “Scoop City.” “They want him to have a full week of practice. So, I think we can assume that the game against the Chargers on Thursday will probably not be realistic.”
The Vikings’ management of McCarthy’s ankle is concerning, given Russini’s report. McCarthy suffered additional swelling in his ankle during the team’s flight to Dublin, which could have played a role in his extended recovery timeline.
JJ McCarthy on Short Leash When He Returns to Vikings Lineup
McCarthy’s extended recovery period has allowed Carson Wentz to leave an impression on the team. While Wentz is coming off a stinker against the Philadelphia Eagles, he has kept the Vikings competitive and the offense moving as Kevin O’Connell continues to tinker with the best game plan for the veteran quarterback.
While the Vikings maintain that McCarthy is their quarterback of the future, the crossroads they’re approaching between Wentz and McCarthy (when both quarterbacks are healthy) will be a
“You see some things from [Wentz] and you’re like okay, like I think Kevin [O’Connell] can make this work,” Russini added. “It’s where this is going to get a little fishy, I think and a little dicey for them, is when everybody’s healthy, like what are we going to do? And they will tell you that they’re going to go with J.J. McCarthy.”
That’s definitely the case.
However, the Vikings are still hovering at .500 with Wentz poised for another start. A win on Thursday would set the stage for McCarthy to will a veteran-laden roster into the heat of the playoff chase.
How much runway he gets with just two career starts under his belt this late into the 2025 regular season remains to be seen.
Vikings Must Sink or Swim With JJ McCarthy
There is the notion of maintaining a winning culture and appeasing a locker room full of veterans who are ready to win now.
But Wentz is not going to take them there.
The many veterans who signed on this season were also aware they would ride the highs and lows of a first-year starter at quarterback.
Unfortunately, the margin for error is slim whenever McCarthy returns. He is slated to take back the starting reins with the bulk of the division schedule dead ahead.
With McCarthy and Wentz limited with injuries this week, O’Connell has played coy about making a definitive quarterback decision for the season. He has stressed he is solely focused on putting together the best game plan for the players that are available any given week.
That’s likely been due to the fickle nature of McCarthy’s ankle sprain.
But once he returns, McCarthy must play as much as possible so they can determine what they have in their first-round quarterback going forward.
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