McCarthy's rough outing against Ravens
J.J. McCarthy had an erratic start for the Minnesota Vikings, completing 5 of 10 passes for 81 yards in a 13-3 exhibition-game loss to Baltimore on Saturday. McCarthy played four series with the second-team offense before yielding to 11th-year veteran Carson Wentz, leaving the picture unclear about who will be the No. 2 quarterback behind Kyler Murray in the regular season.
McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, missed his rookie year while recovering from knee surgery and was limited by 10 starts last season because of multiple injuries. He misfired to open receivers multiple times. After a 50-yard completion to Tai Felton midway through the first quarter, McCarthy threw too hard into the end zone twice for incompletions that forced a turnover on downs from the 1-yard line.
The Associated Press reported that McCarthy's performance was part of a day where offensive struggles overshadowed a strong defensive effort. Sports Illustrated offered a more detailed critique, noting that McCarthy played one quarter, went 5 of 10 for 81 yards and took one sack. The outlet highlighted a 50-yard bomb to Felton but also pointed out a missed open throw to Myles Price near the goal line that ended a drive. Sports Illustrated described McCarthy's performance as 'anything but confidence-inducing' and suggested Carson Wentz looked like the more stable quarterback.
Murray named starter, McCarthy's future in question
The Vikings have named Kyler Murray as the starting quarterback, a decision that has put McCarthy's future in Minnesota under scrutiny. According to NBC Sports, McCarthy is entering his third season and will start the season as the backup. Murray and McCarthy split first-team reps for much of the offseason and into training camp, but ESPN's Kevin Seifert reported that Murray received 'roughly two-thirds of the snaps with the first-team offense in 11-on-11 drills.' Seifert also said 'no objective observer to training camp could say that (McCarthy) has made up the ground necessary to truly challenge Murray.'
When asked about his future, McCarthy said he wants to be in Minnesota and will 'continue to just do whatever [he] can for this team and this organization.' The 23-year-old's comments came amid speculation about a potential trade, with NBC Sports noting that it wouldn't be surprising if McCarthy requested a trade or was dealt before next year.
Kevin O'Connell said in June he doesn't plan to take the competition until the end of camp, according to NBC Sports. Murray, a former Pro Bowler who led the Cardinals to the playoffs in 2021, has history with O'Connell, finishing as a top-10 fantasy quarterback in fantasy points per game from 2020 to 2022 under the current Vikings coach.
Defense shines despite loss
The Vikings' defense gave up only 93 total yards in the first half, allowing just a field goal, as reported by Sports Illustrated. The outlet highlighted several defensive standouts: undrafted free agent safety Jacob Thomas had six tackles and nearly intercepted a pass; Jacob Roberts and Jake Golday contributed six and five tackles, respectively; and Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange repeatedly broke into the backfield, causing chaos for Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley.
The Associated Press reported that the Ravens rested the majority of their starting lineup after two days of joint practices with the Vikings. Baltimore's offense was led by undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, who threw a touchdown pass to LaJohntay Wester and finished 15 for 20 for 123 yards. Rookie tight end Josh Cuevas caught three passes for 46 yards, and Keondre Jackson led Baltimore's defense with seven tackles, a sack, and a quarterback hit.
For Minnesota, Max Brosmer played the entire second half at quarterback, going 11 for 17 for 98 yards, but he was intercepted by rookie free safety Silas Walters at the Baltimore 18. Rookie linebacker Ethan Burke forced a fumble with his tackle of Jeshaun Jones after an 11-yard reception had given Minnesota a first down near midfield.
Key offensive performances
Tai Felton ended the game with three catches for 66 yards, including the 50-yard reception from McCarthy. Jeshaun Jones had a 36-yard catch from Carson Wentz, and Dillon Bell recorded five catches for 43 yards. Myles Price had one catch for 8 yards and was missed multiple times by McCarthy, according to Sports Illustrated.
Up next
Baltimore hosts Washington on Friday, while Minnesota plays at Denver, as reported by the Associated Press.