For seven months, Minnesota Vikings fans have waited to see whether quarterback J.J. McCarthy would take the next maturational step in his development, and through two preseason games, he somehow might’ve regressed. McCarthy has not played well in the preseason, leading onlookers to wonder about his immediate and long-term future.
But McCarthy does have one thing going for him: draft stock.
McCarthy’s Draft Stock Is Buying Him Time
Poor Preseason Play
The Vikings have played the New York Giants on the road and the Baltimore Ravens at home in the last eight days; the result is the same for McCarthy. He’s flashed in isolated moments of brilliance but struggled with routine throws, as he did in 2025. In fact, this is exactly what McCarthy did in 2025.
In both preseason contests, he did enough for fans to think, “Man, I still see something there,” after certain throws, though terrible incompletions have ruined the outings. The guy looks basically the same as last year, and you could argue he’s regressed a smidge.
Thankfully, McCarthy has one final preseason game to ball out, this Friday at the Denver Broncos. He’ll inevitably get playing time, so long as an injury doesn’t sideline him. He must perform well – – or risk a verdict of a viciously underwhelming preseason in a scenario when he cannot afford a viciously underwhelming preseason.
Former 1st-Round Status Will Continue to Do Him Favors
You and perhaps the Vikings coaching staff cannot throw in the towel on McCarthy just yet. Why not? Well, it’s not allowed. Minnesota picked him 10th overall in 2024, and that gives him grace to eventually “figure it out.” It’s just how sports work. When scouts, coaches, and general managers identify talent, especially of the 1st-Round variety, those youngsters get more chances than late-rounders or undrafted free agents.
For example, nobody anywhere cares that Jaren Hall is out of the NFL. He’s a 5th-rounder from 2023 who didn’t work out. That happens routinely for 5th-rounders. First-round busts are rarer, so the Vikings and the league, as a whole, will give McCarthy multiple chances to turn the corner.
If McCarthy were a 5th-rounder, like Hall, based on the last two preseason games, fans would be discussing a possible roster cut. That won’t happen to McCarthy. He’s still in the mix to own the QB2 job for the 2026 Vikings. Deep down, there’s still a belief that franchise quarterback lives in his bloodstream.
Whether that DNA is evident under a microscope remains to be seen.
Sequels of Will Levis, Anthony Richardson, and Trey Lance
This isn’t a fringe theory. First- and second-round quarterbacks get more do-overs than most. Will Levis still lives on the Tennessee Titans’ roster; before it’s all said and done, he’ll get a chance to get under center somewhere in the league to prove he was misunderstood.
Levis said last month, “There are not 32 quarterbacks in this league better than me. I know that for sure.”
That’s early-round draft stock bravado.
Anthony Richardson remains the Indianapolis Colts’ QB3. Every couple of months, NFL-themed media publishes “trade destination” articles about where he could land. People still care about Richardson – – because his arm talent is indisputable, and folks hypothesize there’s still a beast of a quarterback lurking if he gets the proper coaching.
Until recently, Trey Lance got the same treatment. He’s now established as a backup quarterback, but that process took about four years. Some still probably believe that Lance could experience a career resurgence down the line.
Early-round draft stock allows for prolonged hope, and McCarthy is no different.
Can He Turn the Corner?
McCarthy still has a path forward. This is only his third NFL season, and he missed his first year due to knee surgery, playing only 10 regular season games overall. His limited experience isn’t enough to define his career trajectory.
It’s just that his performance bar has undeniably been raised.
He now needs to demonstrate competent QB play – – faster processing speed and a better completion rate – – rather than relying on a few sweet plays. While he still has time to prove himself, his draft-day promise can no longer substitute for actual on-field performance.
He’ll continue to get chances with the Vikings or another team, although that leash is not eternal.
Sadly, all things McCarthy have gone from “Can he be the Vikings’ quarterback of the future?” to “Who’s better? McCarthy or Christian Ponder?”
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VikesNow Verdict: The Vikings invested heavily in McCarthy’s development, ensuring ample runway. Eventually, though, 1st-round status runs out. He’ll get more chances than most, but he must do something soon.
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