In a perfect world for the Vikings, unproven quarterback J.J. McCarthy will earn the right to be the starter next season.
That much was made clear talking to general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on Wednesday afternoon at TCO Performance Center.
“That’s the outcome we want,” Adofo-Mensah said. “That’s the outcome we’re heading towards.”
It’s logical to think that McCarthy will be able to separate himself once the Vikings get back on the field considering he was the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft, and his only competition at the moment is journeyman quarterback Brett Rypien.
As committed as the Vikings seem to be to McCarthy at this point, however, Adofo-Mensah wouldn’t completely rule out the possibility of future hall of fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers reemerging as a potential option down the road.
“For me, to sit here and say that anything is 100 percent forever, that’s just not the job,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We’re responding to scenarios and different information as it comes.”
Though multiple reports came out last week saying the Vikings were moving forward with McCarthy at the forefront, Adofo-Mensah confirmed that head coach Kevin O’Connell has been in touch Rodgers.
“He’s got a great relationship with him,” Adofo-Mensah said. “They’ve had a lot of conversations.”
None of those conversations have resulted in the Vikings agreeing to terms with Rodgers, and while the door appears to be closed in the present, the only way the noise is going to go away is if he signs with, say, the Pittsburgh Steelers in the near future.
“We didn’t think it was the right move at this time,” Adofo-Mensah said. “It’s his decision whether he signs with another team.”
The rumors linking Rodgers to the Vikings really started to pick up after veteran quarterback Sam Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks and backup Daniel Jones signed with the Indianapolis Colts.
Though the Vikings still have interest in adding a veteran presence to pair with McCarthy, Adofo-Mensah hinted they might wait until next month when free agents no longer impact the formula used to determine compensatory picks.
“We’re looking at all our options,” Adofo-Mensah said. “There’s a lot of good players out there.”
As for McCarthy, the Vikings have remained steadfast in their belief in him, and they seem ready to roll with him moving forward.
“He has passed every test with flying colors,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We’re excited about where he is in his development, and we’ll keep learning the information we get as it comes.”
This is a 2024 photo of JJ McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings NFL football team. This image reflects the Minnesota Vikings active roster as of Thursday, May 9, 2024 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah on the sidelines before the start of a NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
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