The Minnesota Vikings are facing a setback as rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy is sidelined from Monday night’s practice. Coach Kevin O’Connell revealed that McCarthy informed the team’s medical staff about soreness in his right knee.
“Out of precaution we’re going to continue an evaluation on him and get some more testing done,” O’Connell stated in a report by Kevin Seifert of ESPN. “He is a very important player, obviously, so we want to make sure we’re smart before he participates, making sure we have a good understanding of where he’s at.”
Despite his impressive performance in the preseason opener where he went 11-of-17 for 188 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in just 30 snaps, McCarthy was looking forward to more snaps with the first-team offense this week, as per O’Connell’s plan.
The Vikings are gearing up for joint practices with the Cleveland Browns later this week, before their preseason game on Saturday. But the uncertainty looms over McCarthy’s availability for the trip.
O’Connell, however, remains optimistic about McCarthy’s long-term outlook. “It’s some kind of routine soreness that a lot of guys after their first preseason game sometimes come in with, and it was something we wanted to be smart about,” he assured.
In the absence of McCarthy, the team will turn to other quarterbacks on the roster including Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens, and Jaren Hall to step up and fill the void during practice.
While the setback is a minor bump in the road for McCarthy and the Vikings, the team remains hopeful that he will bounce back soon and continue to showcase his talent on the field as the season progresses.