It’s no secret that the quarterback play from the Minnesota Vikings last season was abysmal. Many believed that J.J. McCarthy would show plenty of signs of development after missing his rookie year with a knee injury, but it was just the opposite. So much so that the Vikings went out and signed Kyler Murray to compete with McCarthy for the starting job; however, this move did not stop the outside noise.
Steve Smith Sr. went scorched earth on McCarthy on ESPN’s Get Up, and who can blame him? When you use the 10th overall pick in the NFL Draft on a quarterback, and get that level of play when he was on the field, you are leaving yourself open to criticism. Yes, McCarthy did show flashes of being the quarterback they envisioned. But the flashes were too few and far between to really instill confidence in anyone.
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With the starting quarterback spot likely gone, at least for 2026, it will be interesting to keep tabs on this ongoing situation beyond this season, should Murray perform well and Minnesota make some noise in the NFC this upcoming season.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Steve Smith Sr. did not hold back when discussing J.J. McCarthy