The Vikings did not look to be planning to start J.J. McCarthy to open the season, but their design of an extended onramp will change. After Tuesday’s news of the rookie quarterback’s meniscus injury, today’s surgery will entrench Sam Darnold atop Minnesota’s depth chart.
McCarthy underwent a full meniscus repair, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. As a result, the No. 10 overall pick will miss the entire 2024 season. Viewing this through a long-term lens, the Vikings will park McCarthy for his rookie year. This, of course, changes the Michigan product’s developmental path.
A full repair loomed as a possibility, and this situation has escalated after Monday reports indicated the rookie was dealing with knee soreness. Instead of McCarthy seeing important practice reps and taking over for Darnold at some point this season, this will keep the younger passer off the practice field. After never taking a quarterback in the top 10 prior to trading up for McCarthy, the Vikings will continue a streak of never having a first-year QB start in Week 1 (h/t Ed Werder).
Coming into the offseason, Minnesota had not given up on re-signing Kirk Cousins. But the sides did not see eye-to-eye regarding a vision or compensation, leading the six-year Vikings starter to Atlanta. That development turned this Vikes offseason into a scouting mission, with the team acquiring a second first-round pick as ammo for a trade-up. The Vikings did not end up using that Texans-obtained selection to climb up for a passer, but they made McCarthy the centerpiece of their first post-Cousins offseason. Darnold’s stopgap season suddenly becomes much more important — both for the Vikings and the former No. 3 overall pick.
Still just 27 despite going into his seventh season, Darnold has received extensive run as a starter. Despite backing up Brock Purdy throughout last season, Darnold’s start count sits at 56. While the former Jets draftee is 21-35 as a starter, he was tied to two franchises that did not have much support around him. The Jets bailed on Darnold to draft Zach Wilson in 2021, and then-Panthers HC Matt Rhule turned to Baker Mayfield via trade in 2022. Darnold received a late-season batch of starts with Carolina following Rhule’s ouster, but no starting role opened for the USC product in free agency last year.
The Vikings did offer one, signing Darnold on a one-year deal worth $10MM and outflanking the Broncos and Commanders — though, it…