The Minnesota Vikings took a major swing this offseason, letting Sam Darnold walk after an over 4,000-passing-yard and 14-win season in favor of J.J. McCarthy becoming their new starting quarterback. Through the first two weeks of the season, things weren’t looking pretty for the youngster.
However, they took a turn for the worse soon after, with an injury sidelining him for an extended period of time. In his stead, veteran backup Carson Wentz has done a more than admirable job to keep the team afloat, going 2-2 as the starter. But when they face the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, will the Vikings have their QB1 back?
When Will J.J. McCarthy Return?
McCarthy suffered a high right ankle sprain during the Vikings’ Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The injury occurred late in the third quarter when he scrambled for a 16-yard gain before being brought down from behind by linebacker Kaden Elliss.
Although he managed to finish the game, McCarthy experienced increased discomfort leading into Week 3 practice, prompting the team to shut him down. He was initially expected to miss four weeks, but that timeline has passed, and he is still not ready. As a result, the Vikings have once again named Wentz as the starter for Week 8.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Tuesday that McCarthy recently went through an on-field session but isn’t ready to play on a short week while managing lingering discomfort in his ankle. However, he did offer a promising update as well, noting that McCarthy might have been able to play if they were playing on Sunday.
With Minnesota facing the Chargers on Thursday Night Football, O’Connell’s remarks suggest McCarthy could be closer to returning in Week 9 against the Detroit Lions.
McCarthy started his career in historic fashion, delivering one of the greatest fourth quarters ever by a rookie quarterback. He became the first rookie in NFL history to throw three fourth-quarter touchdowns in his debut.
Additionally, it marked the first time in 40 years, since Steve Young in 1985, that a rookie overcame a 10-point deficit in his first game as an NFL pro. However, that performance now looks more like an outlier than the standard.
The first three quarters of his debut were rough, a trend that continued in his second game. With Wentz performing effectively in his absence, it remains to be seen how much the Vikings will lean on the second-year QB once he returns.
Through four games, Wentz has thrown for 1,072 yards and five touchdowns but also four interceptions, ranking 18th in PFSN’s QB Impact metric.