Vikings GM: 'We're Really Confident' in JJ McCarthy Ahead of Sam Darnold Free Agency

J.J. McCarthy's rookie season didn't go the way he planned after the Minnesota Vikings quarterback suffered a knee injury in the preseason, but there were still plenty of positives.

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said McCarthy saw "exponential" growth in 2024 and the team is "really confident" in him.

"It's a redshirt year, but mentally, the process that they had, just in our exit meetings with him, just talking about how much he learned the year compared to other years in his football life, [it was] just exponential, which you would expect for a young player in this building," Adofo-Menssah told reporters. "So I think we're really confident in him, his work ethic, and his preparation."

When Minnesota drafted McCarthy 10th overall last spring, the plan was for him to compete with Sam Darnold for the starting job. That plan didn't come to fruition because of his injury, but he could get his chance to be the Vikings' QB1 next season.

Darnold is set to become a free agent, as is the other quarterback on their roster, Daniel Jones.

McCarthy taking over as Minnesota's starter is no guarantee as the Vikings could bring back one of Darnold or Jones, but Adofo-Mensah said if the team makes McCarthy QB1 "we'll go in there confidently."