"Take that for what it's worth" - Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell refuses to name J.J. McCarthy as QB1 

Kevin O’Connell isn’t handing J.J. McCarthy the starting job just yet.

Even with the spotlight on McCarthy and a clear path to the starting role in Minnesota, the Vikings head coach is holding off on making anything official. Despite McCarthy’s progress and the departure of previous starters, O’Connell emphasizes a competitive environment among quarterbacks.

In a recent interview on "The Rich Eisen Show", O’Connell said:

“J.J. is going to be in a great position to assume and ascend in our organization,” O’Connell said. “But right now, we really don’t have any feelings on competition as much as we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition 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," he added.

While O’Connell refrained from naming McCarthy the starter, his comments suggest McCarthy is taking significant reps with the first-team offense. Specifically, O’Connell mentioned McCarthy’s work with veteran center Ryan Kelly:

“When he is taking snaps, he’s taking plenty of snaps from Ryan Kelly, who happens to be a 10-year starting center in this league,” O’Connell noted. “Take that for what it's worth. ...We’re going to have him ready to go.”

This collaboration with the starting center indicates McCarthy’s integration into the primary offensive unit, even if not officially designated as QB1.

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Minnesota Vikings count on J.J. McCarthy despite injury-riddled rookie campaign

McCarthy was the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and he missed his rookie season due to a torn meniscus. O’Connell highlighted McCarthy’s dedication during his recovery during an appearance on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd":

“He had the injury, as you know, and nobody was more crushed about that than me, probably second to J.J. He really had to deal with what that was like to have the game taken away. ‘I’ve got to focus solely on my rehab. I want to be out there with my guys. There’s nothing I want more.’

"He had to really laser his focus and center on getting healthy, and he did that. He was able to attack the offseason once the season kind of ended, and kind of be in this building every day," he added.

O’Connell also praised McCarthy’s physical improvements:

“He’s bigger. He’s stronger. I can see it in his arm. I can see it in his movements. I can see just the ownership of playing quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. He gained a lot from last year, albeit not how we drew it up. Now can we just build and build and build and progress?”

Despite these positive indicators, O’Connell maintains that the starting quarterback role must be earned through competition. The Vikings’ approach emphasizes development and readiness over premature declarations.

As the offseason progresses, McCarthy’s continued growth and integration with the first-team offense position him as a strong candidate for the starting role. However, the quarterback competition remains open until an official announcement is made.