The Vikings Had Three Quarterbacks To Choose From — But May Have Picked The Wrong One

By nan extremity of past season, nan Minnesota Vikings had 3 quarterbacks connected their roster: Sam Darnold, who started each crippled during a 14-3 regular season, Daniel Jones, who nan squad signed past November aft he was released by nan New York Giants, and rookie J.J. McCarthy, who missed nan full twelvemonth aft tearing his meniscus.

After Darnold mislaid his past 2 starts — a regular play crippled that decided who won nan NFC North, and a playoff crippled against nan Los Angeles Rams — nan Vikings wished he wasn’t nan semipermanent reply astatine nan position. Minnesota besides didn’t spot capable from Jones successful believe to clasp him.

Darnold signed pinch nan Seattle Seahawks successful nan offseason, while Jones signed pinch nan Indianapolis Colts. Minnesota, meanwhile, handed nan keys of nan franchise to McCarthy, who successful his past collegiate crippled completed only 10-of-18 passes for 140 yards.

In Week 1, the Vikings looked for illustration geniuses aft McCarthy led a come-from-behind triumph against nan Chicago Bears.

Entering Week 12, Minnesota whitethorn beryllium second-guessing its decision, arsenic Darnold and Jones person their respective teams adjacent nan apical of nan standings while nan Vikings are floundering — pinch McCarthy a important portion of nan problem.

“Coming successful here, I was taught really to play backmost successful a very different way,” McCarthy told reporters this week astir his modulation to being an NFL starter. “And that’s expected going into nan league, going into immoderate caller team, immoderate caller system.”

He added that injuries — McCarthy besides missed clip this play pinch a precocious ankle sprain — person robbed him of valuable believe time. As a result, Minnesota’s starter is learning connected nan fly.

“It’s really hard,” McCarthy said. “You’re rewiring neurological pathways, and that’s not thing that happens overnight. Just knowing and giving myself that grace, that patience, that I mightiness not person it today, but it’s thing that I’m gonna proceed to strive after, time aft day, rep aft rep, and get to nan spot wherever we each want maine to be.”

A learning curve for a young backmost is thing new, but nan Vikings’ struggles are tougher to swallow aft nan squad was tied for nan second-most wins successful nan NFL successful 2024. Minnesota is presently 4-6 and connected nan extracurricular of nan playoffs successful nan NFC. McCarthy is 2-3 arsenic a starter.

What stings moreover worse for nan Vikings is really good Darnold and Jones person played for their caller teams. The Seahawks are 7-3, tied for nan second-best grounds successful nan NFC, while nan Colts are 8-2, a half crippled retired of first spot successful nan AFC.

Compared to Darnold and Jones, McCarthy has thrown acold less touchdowns, has been much turnover prone, and has a overmuch worse passer rating.

Minnesota, of course, was apt reasoning agelong word by opting for McCarthy. And Darnold and Jones will still person to beryllium themselves successful nan postseason, while their teams will besides person to determine really overmuch money to perpetrate to them successful nan adjacent future. (McCarthy will beryllium comparatively much cost-controlled for 3 much seasons connected his rookie contract.)

For now, though, nan Vikings person a built-to-win squad pinch a prima receiver successful Justin Jefferson, a competitory defense coached by Brian Flores, but an discourtesy averaging little points (21.8 compared to 25.4) and throwing for little yards (193.0 compared to 237.8) than it did a twelvemonth ago.