The Minnesota Vikings might be out of the playoff hunt, but they might be more under the microscope than any other franchise in the offseason as they work through their decision with quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
If Minnesota gives McCarthy another season as the full-time starter, his development and how he prepares will be monitored more closely than anything the Vikings do. One move that wouldn't be in the Vikings' control could derail everything they have worked on with McCarthy.
ESPN New York Giants reporter Jordan Raanan recently wrote about some of the top candidates for the team, as their head coach opening will be one of the top jobs. Raanan shared some under-the-radar candidates that might surprise people, including Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and Vikings quarterback coach Josh McCown.
"Don't be surprised if their names come up in some capacity during the search as well. Although both are relatively new to coaching in the NFL (McCown is in his third season; Udinski his sixth), they are considered up-and-comers in coaching circles because of their work with quarterbacks."
Could Minnesota Vikings lose Josh McCown to a head coaching job?
This is far from the first time McCown's name has been brought up for a head coaching job, despite never having been an offensive coordinator. The Houston Texans interviewed McCown two years in a row for their head coach openings in 2021 and 2022.
McCown has put together a decent coaching resume that started in 2023 with the Carolina Panthers as the quarterback coach, before moving on to the Vikings last year in the same position.
He has done great work in Minnesota, helping Sam Darnold play at a Pro Bowl level with the Vikings and then getting McCarthy to play better over the past month.
There might be some criticism over how McCarthy played in his first six games, when he threw six touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
The young quarterback has bounced back nicely in the last three games, completing over 60 percent of his passes in all three matchups with seven total touchdowns to just two interceptions.
Those might not be the Earth-shattering numbers Vikings fans were expecting from McCarthy at the beginning of the season, but the second-year signal caller has improved his game. He has been more accurate, making better decisions, and uses his legs to pick up good yardage and scores.
McCown deserves a ton of credit for that, and the Giants could look at him as an option to help their young quarterback, Jaxson Dart, in his development. If Minnesota isn't careful, it might lose McCown, which could jeopardize all the work done with McCarthy.