"More pressure on him": NFL analyst flags major narrative gap between Caleb Williams and J.J. McCarthy

Quarterbacks J.J. McCarthy and Caleb Williams are looking to make a statement in their second year in the NFL. McCarthy went to the Vikings in the first round of the 2024 draft, while the Bears drafted Williams with the first pick.

However, J.J. McCarthy sat out his rookie campaign after suffering a torn meniscus in preseason. On the other hand, Caleb Williams had an underwhelming debut with the Bears under former head coach Matt Eberflus.

On Sunday's episode of ESPN's 'Get Up', analyst Peter Schrager shared his thoughts on McCarthy and Caleb Williams heading into the 2025 season. He stated that the former Michigan quarterback is under more pressure to perform well despite the offseason focus being on Williams.

"Think there's more pressure for J.J. McCarthy, the second year quarterback on Minnesota," Schrager said. "More pressure on him for success right away than there is on Caleb Williams...."

"We're focusing so much on Caleb this offseason, and we're just assuming that everything is fine in Minnesota because O'Connell and Kwesi decided to put their faith in J.J. McCarthy, that we know that this team is going to be just as good as they were a year ago."

Schrager stated that Caleb Williams has less pressure because he will have to learn a new play style under Brian Johnson.

On the other hand, McCarthy has already seen how things work in Minnesota under coach Kevin O'Connell. Thus, this puts him in a more favorable position to potentially lead the team to the playoffs and become a potential Super Bowl contender.

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J.J. McCarthy gets nod of approval from Vikings co-owner Mark Wilf

J.J. McCarthy has the backing of his coaches and franchise co-owner, Mark Wilf, for the 2025 season. In May, Wilf appeared on Paul Allen's podcast.

He shared his thoughts on McCarthy's game and heaped praise on his talent with the ball. Wilf also stated that the quarterback will have everyone's support during his stint in Minnesota.

"He has a gravitational pull as a leader," Wilf said. "I think the way players support him, I think, of course, the talent is there. Coach O'Connell is glowing in his praises of how he's handled everything to date, and from an off-the-field perspective, we couldn't be happier."

"So all the things are pointing in the right direction and we are going to be supporting J.J. to have him be the success that we want him to be."

Last season, the Vikings made it to the Wild Card playoff round under quarterback Sam Darnold. Unfortunately, they lost to the LA Rams, bringing an end to their Lombardi Trophy hunt. Darnold signed a three-year deal worth $100.5 million with the Seahawks in March.