Let's see if any Minnesota Vikings fans recognize this next part of the sentence: an NFL writer doesn't believe they are legit contenders to win it all because of their starting quarterback, J.J. McCarthy.
CBS Sports' Garrett Podell went over the different tiers of teams in the NFC in the wake of the stunning Micah Parsons trade to the Green Bay Packers. Podell placed the Vikings in Tier 3, which is classified as "Wild card wilderness."
The simple reason for it: questions about McCarthy.
"The Minnesota Vikings have everything they need to be great except the quarterback .J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is fresh off of a torn meniscus, and he was the first first-round quarterback chosen with zero seasons of college football with either 3,000 yards passing or 500 yards rushing since these Vikings selected Christian Ponder 12th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Florida State.
The most recent passer selected in the top 10 like McCarthy without either such benchmark in college was Detroit Lions 2002 third overall pick, Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington. He was a clear cut disappointment."
When will people learn to stop doubting the Minnesota Vikings?
Vikings fans get it. McCarthy is unproven and hasn't taken a single snap in the NFL. No one really knows what they have in the second-year quarterback out of Michigan.
Just remember this: McCarthy is literally loaded with weapons all around him. He's got Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison (when he comes back from his suspension). Not to mention that he now has Adam Thielen after the Vikings made a trade with the Carolina Panthers.
How about that running game in Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason? What a terrific one-two punch in the backfield that gives the Vikings speed and power at running back.
The offensive line should give fans hope that they will be able to help keep McCarthy upright. Will Fries, Ryan Kelly, and rookie first-round pick Donovan Jackson are more than capable in the interior of the line to come in during their first seasons and get the job done.
One last piece to the puzzle: head coach Kevin O'Connell. The job he has done over the years in developing good quarterbacks, such as Sam Darnold and Kirk Cousins, among others, has been great to watch.
Even if people out there have zero belief in McCarthy, they believe he has the offense around him to get the job done. The hope for Vikings fans is that these conversations will be silenced with a convincing win over the Chicago Bears in Week 1.