THE Minnesota Vikings are two years removed from drafting JJ McCarthy No. 10 overall and have yet to see the results they were hoping for.
The Vikings finished with a 9-8 record despite poor play from McCarthy, but Hall of Famer Cris Carter thinks the team has a “problem.”
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Cris Carter speaks to The U.S. Sun about JJ McCarthy’s time with the VikingsCredit: The U.S. Sun
McCarthy looks on from the sidelines will out with injury against the Green Bay PackersCredit: Getty
After missing the entirety of the 2024 season due to a knee injury, McCarthy made his much-anticipated debut this season.
However, McCarthy did anything but impress, passing for just 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
He only played 10 games due to countless injuries, and Carter thinks the Vikings made a mistake giving McCarthy the keys to the franchise.
“He has not done anything that would exhibit the traits to being a franchise quarterback,” Carter told The U.S. Sun via SBR online casino bonuses.
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“Tell me what he does exceptionally? There’s an inability to stay healthy and he’s in the third year of this experiment.”
Carter is especially upset with how the Vikings handled things with Sam Darnold.
The Vikings won 14 games in 2024 with Darnold under center, and he passed for 4,319 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
This season, Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks and led his new teams to 14 wins and a spot in the NFC Championship.
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“This is easy to see,” Carter said.
“He has not proven anything and they don’t know anything. They have more regret right now because the quarterback we had last year won 14 games.
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“And guess what he did this year? He won 14 more games and they’re the No. 1 seed in the NFC.”
At this point, the Vikings are stuck with McCarthy until his rookie contract is over.
After finishing 9-8, they aren’t in a good enough position to draft a new quarterback, and they don’t have the money or trade capital to acquire one.
“When you’re in the third year of your contract and the franchise and general manager look at you and say ‘I don’t know,’ then you have a problem,” Carter said.
“They’re stuck with JJ McCarthy.”
Expect the Vikings to look mostly the same in 2026 as they did in 2025.