Think about the questions asked.
The phone is almost already ringing.
The ghosts have been exorcised, the Vikings have clinched a playoff berth and a chance to secure a first-round bye with a win over the Lions on Sunday, and Sam Darnold is betting on it.
So what will Minnesota do with the guy they drafted 10th overall last year?
A guy who was thought to be a franchise quarterback and never took a meaningful picture was robbed of the starting job?
Where will JJ McCarthy be at training camp in 2025?
NFL insider Adam Schefter called into ESPN Radio to talk about the purple elephant in the room.
“In a quarterback draft class, there are far more teams needing a quarterback than there are actually quarterbacks available right away, and in a limited quarterback draft class, each team has J.J. McCarthy. I definitely think I'll check with the Vikings to see if they're interested in a trade.'' said.
” [Vikings] “They might say, 'We're not,' and that's it,” he continued. “But I think the team will consider that option…absolutely 100 percent, of course.”
The University of Minnesota team has yet to realize the true potential of McCarthy, who suffered a torn meniscus in his preseason debut.
But in Darnold, it looks like they have a certified baller, as opposed to everything Jets fans saw between 2018 and 2020.
The 27-year-old joined the Vikings on a one-year, $10 million contract for the 2024 season.
Justin Jefferson is still the best wide receiver in the world.
Jordan Addison has picked up where he left off after a great rookie season.
Even Jalen Naylor is setting a new career best in his third year.
There's no doubting the spectacle of this trio, but how much responsibility does Darnold have?
At least, Schefter thinks that's enough to raise questions.
“JJ McCarthy would have been the top, if not the top, quarterback prospect in this year's draft. And yes, he comes off the ACL. [injury]so what? It doesn't really matter,” the official said. “If the Vikings decide they want to trade him, which I don't know if they will, they'll get everything they put into him back and then some.”
The winner of Sunday's game between the Vikings and Lions will secure the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the postseason, while the loser will drop to the No. 5 seed and must move to a first-round matchup.
