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JJ McCarthy had an amazing start in the preseason for the Vikings. Fans were super excited, but then came bad news. He hurt his knee and will need surgery. Most experts think he’ll miss the whole season.
But there’s a chance he might come back.
Medicine has improved a lot over the years. Just last season, Aaron Rodgers made a surprising comeback after an injury that once meant missing the entire season. Since McCarthy’s injury happened in the preseason, there’s a slim possibility he could return if needed. Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk explained why this might be possible:
“It’s a fair question at this point. A meniscus repair typically isn’t like a torn ACL or a ruptured Achilles. Unless McCarthy’s situation is such that there’s no way he could recover before the end of the regular season or the Vikings have made the strategic decision not to use him this year at all, even if he could be medically cleared, it’s possible the Vikings will keep the door ajar — without making it a thing,” Florio wrote.
The Vikings really can’t afford to make a dumb mistake with JJ McCarthy.
Usually, I wouldn’t write about this, but Vikings fans have been waiting for their star quarterback for ages. Kirk Cousins and Sam Bradford didn’t cut it. McCarthy was their highest-drafted QB ever and showed great potential right away.
The best plan is to let Sam Darnold play this season while McCarthy heals and gets ready to compete next summer. Watching Darnold might be tough for fans, but it’s better than risking McCarthy’s future by rushing him back too soon.
Minnesota likely won’t do well this season anyway. Even with McCarthy, playoffs would have been a long shot, and with Darnold, it’s even less likely. Darnold got praised by the 49ers for being a good teammate, but that doesn’t mean he’s turned into a top-tier QB overnight.
However, getting another top-10 draft pick could be beneficial for Minnesota in the long run, even if it means some tough decisions ahead. Hang tight, Vikings fans—don’t rush your future star!
