The Vikings have installed Sam Darnold as their No. 1 quarterback to kick off training camp and one of the questions raised by that choice is when they’ll make the switch to first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.
By trading up to take McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in April, the Vikings signaled their belief that he is their quarterback of the future. Some people may be eager for the future to be now, but McCarthy said on Friday that he’s content to work on his game and bide his time so that he will be as prepared as possible for the move into the top spot.
“I feel like I’m not focused on the outcomes of each day,” McCarthy said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com. “I’m just focused on learning to get better, and improve the weakness that I have with my game and learn my teammates’ strengths and try to amplify them every chance I get. We’re off to a great start so far. My ultimate goal is to get the most out of every single day. When the time comes, it comes. I’m just training every single day so that when that time does come, I’m going to be ready.”
It seems more likely than not that McCarthy’s time will not come at the start of the regular season, but Darnold’s history as a starter in the NFL suggests that it might not be too long before the Vikings are ready to elevate the rookie.
