J.J. McCarthy finally does what Vikings fans have been hoping for

Earlier in this summer's training camp, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips both claimed that rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy is going to get reps with the first-team offense in the near future.

Well, that future became a reality during Friday's training camp practice when McCarthy was given the opportunity to work with the first-team offense when the Vikings were doing some 11-on-11 red zone drills, according to multiple people in attendance.

It was a small opportunity, as the rookie only ended up getting two reps with the first-team. According to Minnesota Vikings On SI's Will Ragatz, the first play was end-around handoff to wide receiver Jordan Addison and the second rep saw McCarthy throw a pass that was almost intercepted by Vikings safety Theo Jackson.

Expect J.J. McCarthy to get more reps with the Minnesota Vikings first-team offense

Even though McCarthy only wound up getting two reps with Minnesota's first-team on Friday, it was still a significant moment in the rookie quarterback's development.

It shows that the Vikings are already interested in seeing how he can handle the pressure of being the top quarterback on the depth chart. But at the same time, McCarthy only getting two reps also shows that Minnesota is not exactly going to throw him right into the fire either.

The Vikings have been very careful and calculated with their approach to the rookie's development. So, one can safely assume that McCarthy's brief stint with the first-team offense on Friday was all part of Minnesota's plan.

With the 2024 regular season still more than a month away from starting, there's no reason to think that the rookie quarterback won't get any more snaps with the Vikings' first-team offense during the next few weeks.

Will there come a point when McCarthy and veteran quarterback Sam Darnold are getting a similar number of reps with Minnesota's first-team offense in practice? It's possible, but it will all depend on whether the Vikings think the rookie is ready for that or not.

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