After watching his offense finish with a grand total of three passing yards in the win over the Detroit Lions this past Thursday, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell expressed his hope for quarterback J.J. McCarthy to return to the starting lineup for the team's regular-season finale against the Green Bay Packers next weekend.
As much as O'Connell would like to see McCarthy back on the field, however, the Packers might have already made Minnesota's quarterback decision for them.
Following their loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, Green Bay is locked into the NFC's No. 7 seed for the 2025 playoffs, and as a result, they're "expected to rest key players" in their Week 18 divisional battle against the Vikings, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter on Sunday.
Minnesota Vikings probably better off keeping J.J. McCarthy sidelined for Week 18 matchup with Green Bay Packers
Having another game to help evaluate McCarthy's development is one of the biggest reasons why some felt it would be worth Minnesota letting him play in Week 18 if his hand injury isn't still a problem.
But now that the Packers are expected to sit a bunch of their top players next weekend in preparation for the playoffs, is it even worth it for the Vikings to start McCarthy if he's healthy enough? How much would Minnesota even be able to properly evaluate its young quarterback in a game against a bunch of Green Bay's backups?
McCarthy's tendency to get injured this season should also be a factor in the Vikings' decision about his Week 18 status. The second-year quarterback has been sidelined by three different injuries this season, and the risk of him suffering another in a meaningless game that could impact what is going to be a very important offseason for him just doesn't seem worth it.
We likely won't know more about McCarthy's status for Minnesota's season finale until Wednesday, since that will be when the team releases its first injury report for Week 18. If he's listed as a non-participant on that injury report, don't expect him to suit up for the Vikings next weekend against the Packers.