Kevin SeifertApr 21, 2025, 03:03 PM ET
- Kevin Seifert is a staff writer who covers the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL at ESPN. Kevin has covered the NFL for over 20 years, joining ESPN in 2008. He was previously a beat reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Washington Times. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia.
EAGAN, Minn. -- Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy won't have any limitations during the team's offseason program, coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday as players reported for their first day of voluntary workouts.
McCarthy, the No. 10 pick of the 2024 draft, missed his rookie season because of a torn meniscus in his right knee but has been working at the team facility for most of the past three months to build his body back from the long layoff.
"I think he's ready to hit the ground running as of today," O'Connell said.
The Vikings haven't named McCarthy their 2025 starter, but they have bid farewell to three quarterbacks who spent time with them last season -- Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones and Nick Mullens -- and have not yet signed a replacement. Brett Rypien is the only other quarterback on the roster. The Vikings held serious internal discussions about signing veteran Aaron Rodgers last month but put the idea on hold while McCarthy works through the offseason.
O'Connell said Monday that "we've got a pretty detailed plan for how we want to go about" adding one or more quarterbacks to the roster. The delay can be partially attributed to the NFL's post-draft deadline for free agents affecting teams' formulas for compensatory draft picks. But general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said last week that the formula is not the only factor.
"We've been patient and really evaluated a lot of different ways we could potentially do that," O'Connell said of adding another quarterback. "There's potential trades and free agency and still the draft. We're going through a process of just figuring out who is the player that we want to solidify that room with knowing that J.J. and Brett are here working, starting today, and eventually we'll complete that room and still have a competitive situation in there, however you look at it."
Carson Wentz is among a handful of veteran quarterbacks still available on the free agent market. Players who might be available via trade include the Atlanta Falcons' Kirk Cousins, the Seattle Seahawks' Sam Howell and the Las Vegas Raiders' Aidan O'Connell.
In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, though, Vikings players are preparing for the likelihood that McCarthy will be the starter.
"He looks great," running back Aaron Jones said. "I've seen him today moving around. He looks good in the weight room, looks good, confident. I'm very confident in him. He has all the support around him and we're here to lift him up and he's going to be ready to go."
