HC Kevin O'Connell says former Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy is 'owning' being the Vikings' QB

After trading up to select Michigan football QB J.J. McCarthy in the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy's rookie season ended before it ever really got started. After suffering a season-ending injury in a preseason game against the Raiders, veteran Sam Darnold led Minnesota to the playoffs. But with full belief in McCarthy, the Vikings let Darnold walk in free agency.

While it's all but official McCarthy is going to be the starting QB for Minnesota, the Vikings have never exactly came out and said McCarthy is the next starting QB. The Vikings traded for Seahawks backup Sam Howell to presumably backing up the national championship-winning McCarthy. Head coach Kevin O'Connell said he's getting all of his quarterbacks ready to play -- including undrafted free agent Max Brosmer from Minnesota.

But after doing some more digging, O'Connell told Rich Eisen that McCarthy has been spending most of his time taking snaps from Ryan Kelly, a 10-year starting center who signed with the Vikings this offseason.

"I know everybody is wildly concerned about these reps on air," O'Connell said on the Rich Eisen Show. "Let me put you at peace, Rich. [McCarthy] is taking plenty of snaps with Ryan Kelly, who happens to be a 10-year starting offensive center in this league. Take that for what it's worth.

"I don't think Vikings fans or widely successful, nationally renowned broadcasters like yourself should be worried about the amount of reps J.J. is going to get with the 1s. We're going to have him ready to go. And by owning playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings: that's footwork, that's rythem, that's timing, that's running the huddle, that's running the show, that's cadence, that's identifying defensive structure that he's going to responsible for getting us into the right plays -- he's owning it, Rich."

McCarthy has plenty of weapons at his disposal in Minnesota. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson, Aaron Jones, and a rebuilt offensive line should give him all the tools to succeed in Year 1 as the starter with the Vikings.