The Minnesota Vikings are wearing thin with their questions at quarterback, which they hoped J.J. McCarthy would solve.
McCarthy has been available just two of 25 games for the Vikings due to injury, just a few months from the halfway point of his rookie deal. Yet, the Vikings are barely closer to learning if he can be the quarterback of the future.
Carson Wentz took a beating as the veteran buffer while McCarthy recovered from a Week 2 ankle injury. Wentz took five sacks and five quarterback hits in a Week 8 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, leading to him landing on injured reserve with a season-ending shoulder injury.
According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, Wentz was playing with a torn labrum and fractured socket for the past three games. Wentz was clearly in pain as he took hit after hit on Thursday against the Chargers.
Why would the Vikings not take Wentz out of his misery?
According to Seifert, there was some trepidation about undrafted rookie Max Brosmer taking the starting job and running with it, which would only cause more quarterback drama in Minnesota.
“A person with knowledge of the Vikings’ thinking half-joked that O’Connell left Wentz in last Thursday’s game because Brosmer — who had a strong training camp and preseason — might prove a better short-term option than McCarthy,” Seifert wrote. “With Wentz done for the season, now is the time to find out who — if anyone — the Vikings can move forward with at quarterback.”
Vikings Facing Unfortunate JJ McCarthy, Max Brosmer Reality
Ideally, McCarthy would be in midseason form and making significant strides every week as a starter.
However, his ankle injury has hampered the development plan that could have seen the Vikings contending for a playoff spot as McCarthy grows late this season.
That’s not out of the question, but the Vikings (3-4) only have a 5% of making the postseason with a divisional gauntlet ahead. McCarthy should have been further along before this stage of the schedule.
Instead, it’s McCarthy and Brosmer spearheading the Vikings’ playoff hopes going forward.
“Wentz sheltered McCarthy and Brosmer for as long as he could, but now it’s time to find out whether either of them can play. McCarthy is expected to resume his role as the starter Sunday against the Detroit Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox). Brosmer, signed in May as an undrafted rookie, will be his backup,” Seifert wrote. “Together, they have thrown a total of 49 NFL passes and played 122 regular-season snaps. McCarthy, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, has sat out 23 of a possible 25 games in his NFL career (including the playoffs) because of the sprained ankle and a torn right meniscus that cost him all of last season.”
Vikings Deemed Underdogs Against Lions in Week 9
The Vikings are considered significant underdogs this week against the Detroit Lions, who oddsmakers deemed 8.5-point favorites.
That line may be a byproduct of oddsmakers being bearish on McCarthy’s return after he struggled through the majority of his first two games in the NFL.
However, it hasn’t mattered much about who is under center given the decrepit state of the Vikings offensive line. Through the first five games of the season, the Vikings trotted out 14 different line combinations to remedy a spell of injuries impacting starters.
Christian Darrisaw exited last week’s game with knee soreness, while Pro Bowl right tackle Brian O’Neill was out with a sprained MCL.
That duo’s return this week will be tantamount to McCarthy and the Vikings’ success
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