Losing Kirk Cousins was a devastating blow for Minnesota Vikings fans when the news was first announced.
While Cousins was unable to take them on a deep playoff run, he was a consistent quarterback, a characteristic the Vikings had been missing.
After seeing him walk, the Vikings had to pivot, and they ultimately looked to the NFL Draft to add a new option into the mix.
They ended up selecting J.J. McCarthy in this year’s draft, a pick that has been mostly received well around the league.
Fans are hoping McCarthy will work out well in the long-term, but many of them didn’t expect him to be the team’s Week 1 starter with the recent addition of Sam Darnold.
It might have initially seemed that Darnold would start for the first few games of the season, but that might not be the case, if Dan Graziano’s recent report is accurate.
According to Graziano via The Purple Persuasion, the Vikings reportedly have a “specific step-by-step plan for McCarthy’s development.”
According to @DanGrazianoESPN, the #Vikings will have a “specific step-by-step plan for McCarthy’s development” and if he hits each benchmark he’ll open the season as the starter. If not, the Vikings are comfortable starting Sam Darnold
“The Vikings have a specific… pic.twitter.com/ZSj5cUeY0q
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) May 15, 2024
As Graziano says, if McCarthy achieves what the team hopes he will, he will be the Week 1 starter for them.
If he takes some additional time to get acclimated to the league, Darnold might end up being their starter after all.
There is a lot of debate on if teams should start rookies right away, or if they should give them at least half a season to grow and develop and learn what it’s like to play in the NFL.
Both methods have worked well in recent seasons, so it will be interesting to see which route the Vikings choose.
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