Vikings Reportedly Pleased with J.J. McCarthy's Improvement After Knee Injury Recovery

Having affirmed their commitment to J.J. McCarthy by opting not to pursue Aaron Rodgers, the Minnesota Vikings are happy with what they have seen from their young quarterback so far this offseason.

Appearing on the Saturday morning SportsCenter (starts at :30 mark), ESPN's Jeremy Fowler explained the Vikings have been encouraged by McCarthy's improvement from the start of their offseason workouts to the end of mandatory minicamp on Thursday.

"They like the way he's throwing the ball," Fowler said of McCarthy. "They feel very comfortable with where he's at going into training camp. They didn't sign Rodgers and went with McCarthy because they believe in their three-year plan. A young quarterback they like on a rookie scale, so they'll be aggressive on the roster around him. They believe they can win a Super Bowl in the next three years."

McCarthy missed all of his rookie season after suffering a torn meniscus in Minnesota's first preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. He resumed on-field training in January and was fully cleared by the team's medical staff prior to the start of minicamp on Tuesday.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell acknowledged in March their interest in Rodgers because it was a unique opportunity, but they "feel very strongly about where [McCarthy is] at right now."

McCarthy will be entering a high-pressure situation because of the success Minnesota had last season with Sam Darnold starting at quarterback. The Vikings' 14-3 record was tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the second-best mark in the NFC. They have made the playoffs twice in the past three years.

Fortunately, there is a terrific infrastructure around McCarthy to make things easier on him as he gets acclimated to the NFL. O'Connell is one of the best offensive play-callers in the league. They revamped their offensive line and have arguably the best receiver in the NFL, Justin Jefferson.

There are plenty of pieces in place for the Vikings to once again be a top contender in the NFC this season. Their ceiling will depend on McCarthy's development. The early word sounds like he might be ready to step in right away as a quality starter.