ESPN news: Vikings McCarthy set to take over QB job from Darnold

The most common question is probably going to be the same, regardless of how the Minnesota Vikings’ season plays out in the first few weeks: when will rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy overtake Sam Darnold for the starting job?

In the almost three weeks since the team picked McCarthy No. 10 overall in the NFL draft, betting odds on who will start the season as quarterback have changed, but according to SportsBook Review, Darnold is currently a significant favorite at (-140) versus McCarthy (+115).

Those probability estimates undoubtedly take into account Minnesota’s declared intention to hold off on pushing its youngster into a starting position until he has met a number of goals set forth by head coach Kevin O’Connell. However, if McCarthy is performing well in practice, there may be pressure for a change due to a growing desire and anxiety among the front office, coaching staff, and elite players such as wide receiver Justin Jefferson to contend in the NFC North Division.

After the team’s bye the previous weekend, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report projected that McCarthy will start at home against the Detroit Lions in Week 7 based on the schedule and a realistic expectation for the arc of his development under O’Connell’s playbook.

Vikings Prepare for Week 6 Bye With a Difficult Slate of Opponents

With the early difficulty of the schedule, Minnesota might be trying to maintain its relevance in the divisional and wildcard battles as early as Week 7.

The New York Giants, a poor team in 2023 but also the team that defeated Minnesota at home during Super Wildcard Weekend in the 2022 playoffs, will be the Vikings’ road opponent to start the season. The club then plays the San Francisco 49ers, Houston Texans, and Green Bay Packers, three teams that had won at least one postseason game the previous season. Then, before their bye week, Minnesota takes on the New York Jets, who, if quarterback Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, should be able to contend for a postseason position in the challenging AFC East Division.

After an additional week of rest and preparation, Gagnon presented his case for the Vikings to move from Darnold to McCarthy as follows:

McCarthy could be the Vikings’ long-term center, but Darnold is a competent quarterback who can carry a team when it’s needed. Regardless of who starts under center, Minnesota has a strong supporting cast that includes Aaron Jones, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Justin Jefferson.

McCarthy can take the field early while Darnold, the third overall selection in the 2018 draft, adjusts to life in the NFL. After all, the 21-year-old only started 28 games while at Michigan. In addition, the Vikes’ first five games will see them play the New York Jets and the San Francisco 49ers, both of whom Darnold is familiar with. Following that, they play the Detroit Lions at home and have a bye week. It seems like the right place for McCarthy to make his regular-season debut.

Vikings may choose to give up a season in order to secure J.J. McCarthy’s long-term future.

Minnesota’s choice might be simpler if Darnold is performing well or if the Vikings get off to a bad start and have a difficult time becoming relevant.

There’s also the future to think about. And if Vikings management thinks it’s best for their franchise quarterback, they might just decide it makes more sense to give up a year of competitiveness.

During a May 14 radio hit on KFAN’s “The Paul Allen Show,” Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune proposed this course of action for the team.

Goessling said to Allen, “I don’t think that their approach to the job is based on [whether McCarthy is] better than Sam Darnold.” The question, in my opinion, is whether McCarthy is prepared to step up to the plate and perform all of the duties that we expect of a top quarterback in this scheme. And let’s wait if it hasn’t appeared yet or hasn’t appeared frequently enough. That, in my opinion, is far more important than this year.