The Minnesota Vikings declined to bring in veteran free-agent Aaron Rodgers. Now, according to one league insider, the team is still unconvinced starting quarterback JJ McCarthy is up to the job.

‘As much as they’re “sold” on JJ McCarthy, they weren’t that sold… so [the Vikings] have some doubt,’ Ross Tucker, a journeyman offensive lineman who’s gone on to Sirius XM and CBS Sports, told Purple Daily.

Minnesota did go 14-3 with Sam Darnold at quarterback last season. But with the 27-year-old Pro Bowl selection signing a three-year, $100.5 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks, the team appeared happy to turn to the 22-year-old McCarthy.

Problem is, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell still hasn’t officially promoted the 10th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft atop the depth chart in Minnesota.

Instead, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah tried to retain 2024 mid-season pickup Daniel Jones, who ultimately landed with the Indianapolis Colts, before trading for Seattle backup Sam Howell.

‘No matter what the Vikings say about J.J. McCarthy… they wanted [Sam] Darnold back,’ Tucker said. ‘And then when they weren’t going to get Darnold back, they wanted Daniel Jones back.’

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) takes part in drills during an April practice 

For his part, O’Connell hasn’t been critical of McCarthy, but said he wants to see the former national champion at Michigan win the starting job from Howell and even journeyman backup Brett Rypien, the nephew of Super Bowl winner Mark Rypien.

‘JJ is going to be in a great position to ᴀssume and ascend in our organization,’ O’Connell recently told Rich Eisen. ‘But right now, we really don’t have any feelings on compeтιтion as much as we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that compeтιтion phase.

‘Sam [Howell] will be a part of it. But we’ve got to get Sam ready to play. We’ve got to get Brett Rypien ready to play. … Excited about our quarterback room, but now it’s our job to go coach them.’

McCarthy’s rookie season was a bit of a wash after he suffered a torn meniscus in his knee and spent the year on injured reserve. As a result, McCarthy has missed valuable practice time, as Tucker mentioned on the podcast. 

This spring, McCarthy has returned to organized team activities (OTAs) in Minnesota, where he was recently asked about the Vikings’ reported interest in Rodgers, a 41-year-old free agent, Super Bowl winner and New York Jets castoff.

‘Obviously I respect Aaron Rodgers, one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game, but all I was focusing on was that day-to-day task, what I was doing here, what I was doing at home just to kind of make myself the best overall player I can be,’ McCarthy told reporters in April.

Aaron Rodgers has languished in free agency while the Minnesota Vikings have moved on 

Even without Rodgers, the Vikings have made a number of significant off-season additions on offense. Not only did Adofo-Mensah guarantee more than $53 million for ex-Colts right guard Will Fries and center Ryan Kelly, but they also managed to re-sign running back Aaron Jones, while acquiring another back in Jordan Mason in a trade.

Perhaps best of all, the team drafted left guard Donovan Jackson and wide receiver Tai Felton in the first and third rounds of April’s NFL Draft. Jackson was a major starter for Ohio State en route to a national championship last season, while Maryland’s Felton ranked among the fastest wide receivers in the draft.

He’ll be counted on in 2025 to draw attention away from Minnesota’s star receivers, Justin Jefferson and Jordan, as well as тιԍнт end TJ Hockenson.