Why is J.J. McCarthy ready to take over as the Minnesota Vikings starting QB in 2025?

With the 10th pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Minnesota Vikings drafted QB J.J. McCarthy out of Michigan. He was expected to compete with Sam Darnold for the starting job in 2024. 

However, McCarthy tore his right meniscus in the preseason and missed all 17 games last year. Despite that small setback to start his career, McCarthy has worked to be available for 2025. Next, we’ll take a look at why Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy is ready to be their starter this upcoming season.

J.J. McCarthy has the traits of a long-term starting QB in the NFL

This JJ McCarthy throw during Vikings OTAs is filthy. He can whip it, but there will be ups and downs for him as a passer early on, given his lack of experience passing at Michigan.

Got paired up with one of the best HC imaginable for his development. pic.twitter.com/9N0pElmlt4

— Chase Senior (@Chase_Senior) June 6, 2025

Coming out of the NFL draft, one concern for scouts was J.J. McCarthy’s arm talent. At Michigan, the first-round pick had a talented backfield, and they were a run-heavy team. That left questions about McCarthy being able to make all the throws in an NFL route tree. Additionally, scouts were skeptical of how far he could throw the ball. At the NFL combine, McCarthy had a velocity of 61 miles per hour in his best throw.

Vikings All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson said, “He definitely has an arm,” when speaking about McCarthy. That’s exactly what Minnesota fans want to hear ahead of the 2025 season. Another area McCarthy must work on is layering his throws. It’s a skill all starting QBs must have to succeed in the NFL. Speaking to the media, McCarthy said he’s experimenting with throws “every single day.”

Heading into the 2025 season, there are no threats on the Vikings’ roster to overtake McCarthy. Head coach Kevin O’Connell has not committed to a starter for Week 1. However, all signs point to McCarthy taking over the starting job. His backup in 2025 will likely be former Commanders and Seahawks QB Sam Howell. He’s started 18 games in his career and can be a mentor for McCarthy. The Vikings have roughly a month until training camp begins. We’ll see which QB works with the first team during that time.