The Minnesota Vikings seem to have made a questionable decision by allowing Sam Darnold to sign with the Seattle Seahawks. On the surface, it made sense for the Vikings to let him go, given that they had just drafted J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
McCarthy was expected to develop into a decent NFL quarterback, despite some questions about his performance at Michigan. Unfortunately, the young quarterback faced a tough knee injury that sidelined him for his entire rookie season. Even in his sophomore year, he has continued to struggle with injuries. When he has been on the field, his performance has been less than stellar.
So far, McCarthy has played in only two games, throwing for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. This small sample size makes it difficult to fairly evaluate his potential or predict the trajectory of his NFL career.
For the Vikings as a team, there is likely some disappointment in not having a more reliable quarterback, especially given their current fourth-place standing in the NFC North with a 3-4 record.
According to a recent report by The Athletic’s Michael Silver, the decision to move on from Darnold was influenced in part by the lack of chemistry between McCarthy and Darnold. Silver noted that the two quarterbacks “did not forge an especially close relationship during their time together,” making it hard to imagine the untested rookie winning a fair competition for the starting job. “The vibe didn’t seem right for such an arrangement,” Silver added.
Had the Vikings brought Darnold back to compete for the starting role, it’s reasonable to assume the veteran would have won that competition. However, since that scenario never played out, no one will ever truly know how things might have gone.
The Vikings’ quarterback situation remains uncertain, and fans will be watching closely to see how McCarthy develops moving forward.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/nfl/vikings-reportedly-let-sam-darnold-walk-over-relationship-with-j-j-mccarthy-10977573
