Minnesota Vikings second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy is already proving to be injury-prone. After missing his rookie season because of a knee injury, he has suffered another setback.
On Monday, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said he’s not planning on having McCarthy play in Sunday’s home game against the Cincinnati Bengals because of an ankle sprain. Still, it’s not expected to be a long-term issue.
Carson Wentz — a one-time Pro Bowler — will likely replace McCarthy in Sunday’s game. The matchup with the Bengals will feature a battle of the backups. Cincinnati backup QB Jake Browning is set to start after Joe Burrow suffered a left toe injury in Sunday’s 31-27 home victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bengals HC Zac Taylor has confirmed it will require surgery.
Like McCarthy, Burrow has durability issues. Over the course of his six-year tenure, the Bengals star has battled knee and wrist issues. However, the Vikings should be much more concerned about their QB situation.
McCarthy’s injury adds to growing concerns about the QB
Except for a spectacular fourth-quarter comeback in a 27-24 Week 1 win over the Chicago Bears, McCarthy hasn’t looked like the answer for the Vikings through two starts. The Michigan product has completed 58.5 percent of his passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions during this span. If you take away the comeback against Chicago, his numbers look even worse.
Some of McCarthy’s struggles tie to the system he played in under former Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh (now with the Los Angeles Chargers). The coach used a run-heavy scheme and didn’t let him air it out much. The one-time national champion attempted just 713 passes in three seasons with the Wolverines. Falcons second-year QB Michael Penix Jr. attempted 555 passes in his final season at Washington.
Still, McCarthy should be more productive with a supporting cast that includes star WR Justin Jefferson and O’Connell, an offensive wizard. Last season, Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold tossed a career-high 35 TD passes in 17 starts with Minnesota.
Combine his injury history with subpar play, and that should leave Minnesota with concerns about McCarthy. If he can’t get healthy and turn things around, it may be time to start scouting the 2026 QB class. It’s headlined by Penn State’s Drew Allar, Oklahoma’s John Mateer and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier.
