Vikings reporter expands on Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy competition

ESPN NFL insider Kevin Seifert raised eyebrows when he reported that Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy was "squarely behind veteran Sam Darnold on the depth chart" ahead of training camp.

For a piece published on Tuesday, Vikings reporter Alec Lewis of The Athletic said that it "should not be a surprise" that Darnold currently is on track to start Minnesota's regular-season opener at the New York Giants on Sept. 8.

"The Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year, $10M deal for a reason," Lewis explained. "They felt like his potential had not been maximized as an NFL quarterback. They also thought his presence would help McCarthy, their recently drafted quarterback. Darnold can share his own experiences and play, allowing McCarthy to sit, learn and observe."

The Vikings reportedly explored trading up in this year's draft to grab North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye via the third pick but found that the New England Patriots were going to stay put to select Maye. Minnesota ultimately moved up a single spot to get McCarthy at pick No. 10, and the club seemingly is in no rush to force him into the lineup before he's ready.

Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown spent a portion of last season serving as quarterbacks coach of the Carolina Panthers when then-rookie signal-caller Bryce Young struggled. McCown seems to understand how important it is to "not put pressure or a level of expectations on" a first-year pro who is at least somewhat of a project regardless of that player's attributes.

"McCarthy’s velocity is unmistakable," Lewis continued. "Accuracy, trajectory and consistent mechanics are what he’s focusing on. The best-case scenario is Darnold playing and staying healthy, the Vikings surprising folks offensively and head coach Kevin O’Connell turning the reins over to McCarthy when he feels the time is right."

As of Tuesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed McCarthy fourth among the betting favorites at +1200 odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Such information suggests some believe O’Connell will feel "the time is right" to play McCarthy over Darnold sooner rather than later.