Not only did J.J. McCarthy quickly lose the starting quarterback battle with Kyler Murray, but the 2024 first-round selection will now sit behind Carson Wentz as QB3 to begin the Minnesota Vikings' season.
This whole situation has been a complete disaster. And it raises questions about why the Vikings drafted McCarthy in the first place.
Perhaps things would be different had McCarthy not dealt with injury problems, but the Vikings were not going to wait around forever. The desired progress hasn't arrived, and confidence in his capabilities has obviously waned enough to make him an afterthought after just two seasons.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing to have, but if head coach Kevin O'Connell had the chance to go back and do it all over again, it's unlikely McCarthy would be the selection at No. 10 overall.
The Vikings also had several options who could have contributed much more to the franchise.
Players the Minnesota Vikings could have drafted over quarterback J.J. McCarthy
Brock Bowers, TE
The Vikings already have a prolific tight end in T.J. Hockenson, but knowing what they do now, taking a swing on Brock Bowers would have been far more beneficial than gambling on McCarthy.
Bowers was arguably the best overall prospect in the 2024 class. Positional value pushed him down the order, but his All-Pro rookie season justified the generational tag coming out of Georgia.
Things haven't gone according to plan since. Bowers dealt with injury issues last season and will miss the start of his third campaign as well. Even so, this would have been a more profitable route to take for Minnesota.
Bo Nix, QB
With Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye all off the board, the Vikings were left with a choice between McCarthy and Bo Nix. One could make a strong case that they went with the wrong quarterback.
Nix isn't the finished product, but he is serviceable. There is a good chance the Denver Broncos would have reached the Super Bowl last season if he hadn't gotten hurt, and the supporting cast is around him once again this season for another bold postseason push.
The Vikings bet on McCarthy's upside. And unless there is a meteoric turnaround, it was a grave error in judgment.
Jared Verse, DE
The Vikings could also have focused on the defensive side of the ball. They needed a forceful edge rusher and got one a little later in the first round when Dallas Turner came into the fold. He's played well, but Jared Verse may have had a bigger impact.
Verse burst onto the scene, winning AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. He gained 7.5 sacks last season and became a real difference-maker against the run. After that, he became the key ingredient in the blockbuster trade that sent Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams.
The Florida State product should thrive in Cleveland. But the chance to acquire someone like Garrett happens once in a generation.
Byron Murphy, DL
After being brought along gradually as a rookie, Byron Murphy took off for the Seattle Seahawks last season. His 62 tackles and 7.5 sacks from the interior made him one of the league's most promising young defensive linemen, helping his team to a dominant Super Bowl success along the way.
The way he's thriving in a 3-4 defensive front makes you wonder how much he could have succeeded in Brian Flores' defensive scheme.
The Vikings could have used someone like Murphy long-term, but in 2024, they were well stocked with dependable options who all knew their roles. Still, this would have been a bit better than McCarthy.
Quinyon Mitchell, CB
While an elite shutdown cornerback isn't necessary in Flores' scheme, it wouldn't hurt. The Vikings have struggled to find the right solutions, and the tragic situation with fourth-round pick Khyree Jackson's passing was simply heartbreaking.
Quinyon Mitchell would have changed things in an instant. The Toledo product came into the league with questions. He'd dominated in college, but some were skeptical about whether or not he could cope with the massive rise in standards at the NFL level.
Mitchell has answered his critics and then some. He quickly ascended into a lockdown presence, winning the Super Bowl in his first season and earning All-Pro honors in his second. The quarterback is king, but just imagine this sort of player shutting down one side of the field in Flores' system.
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