J.J. McCarthy is currently the NFL’s great unknown.
The 22-year-old is coming off missing his rookie season with a torn meniscus to a team that won 14 games and was on the precipice of claiming the top seed in the NFC in his absence.
He suffered multiple setbacks throughout his recovery process, but now, entering training camp, he appears fully healthy and ready to take the reins of the offense.
With the roster in a similar, if not improved, state from their sectional campaign last year, McCarthy will have pressure to produce out of the gates.
One national reporter shared some insight on what the team expects from the Michigan product.
While appearing on “The Herd,” Albert Breer gave some insight into the buzz around the Vikings building on their new signal-caller.
“Gradually they’ve seen signs of who he is as an athlete and take more of a step as a leader, so I think they’re cautiously optimistic with J.J.,” Breer said. “Where they are on offense and defense, it should be a program firing on all cylinders. There are a lot of reasons for hope that McCarthy is going to be really good in his first season as a starter.”
As Breer and host Colin Cowherd alluded to, for much of the past decade, the Vikings have seemed to be a quarterback away from hoisting their first Lombardi trophy.
From sheer lack of reps in college and as a pro, McCarthy is still a giant question mark, but the physical traits jump off the screen.
Don’t be surprised if Kevin O’Connell turns McCarthy into an elite QB.
