Until we get to see him start under center in more than a handful of games next season, it's going to be difficult to compare the playing style of Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy to other signal-callers around the league.
For now, we just have to rely on what Minnesota's players and coaches say about McCarthy and his development as a passer.
On Monday, Vikings defensive lineman and team captain Harrison Phillips answered some questions from the local Twin Cities media, and he delivered a comparison for the team's young passer that raised a significant number of eyebrows.
"Man, he's got some confidence. He reminds me of Josh Allen when I was with him in Buffalo, coming into his own and understanding the power that he has to lead this organization, and he's doing a fantastic job doing that."
Minnesota Vikings team captain compares J.J. McCarthy to Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen
Considering that Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is coming off a 2024 season in which he won the NFL's MVP award, Phillips' comparison of him to McCarthy isn't something that should be ignored.
Now, it's important to note that Phillips didn't compare the skill-sets between the two signal-callers. Instead, he pointed out some of the traits that the two have in common that cannot be measured out on the football field.
Sometimes players and coaches can just tell when one of their teammates has that it-factor. Allen had that when he joined Phillips in Buffalo in 2018 and the current Vikings defender clearly believes this is something that McCarthy possesses as well.
Of course, this comparison is great, and it gets the fan base fired up, but it also increases the level of expectations that are being placed on McCarthy this offseason even more. Allen was eventually able to live up to his high expectations in Buffalo. Will the same end up being true for McCarthy in Minnesota?