NFL Rumors: Vikings' J.J. McCarthy Had 2nd Surgery on Knee Injury After Swelling

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy underwent a second surgery on his right knee after experiencing some swelling, according to ESPN's Kevin Seifert.

McCarthy tore his meniscus in the preseason, which ruled him out for his entire rookie year. Seifert said this new procedure won't impact his overall recovery.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell downplayed Wednesday's news and said McCarthy has otherwise shown encouraging signs with his rehab:

While there isn't an immediate cause for concern from Seifert's report, it certainly isn't encouraging that the 2024 first-round pick experienced swelling bad enough to require a follow-up surgery.

Early on, it didn't look like the Vikings would miss McCarthy much in the short term.

Sam Darnold threw for 932 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions in his first four starts, production that far outpaced his career averages. The 27-year-old has steadily fallen back to earth, though, and his season hit a nadir in Week 10, when he threw three interceptions against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

At 7-2, the Vikings are still second in the NFC North and on track to earn a wild-card bid. Whether they can maintain that pace with Darnold regressing is another matter.

His recent performances also make it less likely there will be any sort of QB controversy down the road. With the way things are going, Minnesota could simply let Darnold walk as a free agent and sign a different quarterback.

McCarthy's recovery will probably determine how the front office addresses the position. As long as he's on track to be healthy for Week 1 in 2025, there's not as much urgency to sign a quarterback who could realistically compete for the starting job.