Vikings replace J.J. McCarthy with former Panthers third-round pick

Less than a week after electrifying the entire Minnesota Vikings fan base with an impressive performance in the team's preseason opener, the 2024 season officially came to an end for rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy on Friday.

The Vikings announced on Friday that McCarthy has been placed on the team's injured reserve list, ending any hope of him potentially returning to the field at some point before the end of the 2024 season.

In addition to placing the rookie signal-caller on injured reserve, Minnesota also revealed that they signed free-agent quarterback Matt Corral, who was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

What can the Minnesota Vikings expect from new QB Matt Corral?

One might be wondering how a 2022 third-round draft pick became available just two years after he entered the league with the Panthers.

Well, Corral missed his entire rookie season with Carolina in 2022 due to a Lisfranc injury. Then, he was cut by the Panthers before they began the 2023 regular season after the team drafted former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

Corral wound up getting claimed on waivers by the New England Patriots, but that stint lasted less than a month, and he still hasn't appeared in a meaningful NFL game since he was drafted in 2022.

He's still only 25, and earlier this year, he helped the Birmingham Stallions win the United Football League championship. Now, he's back in the NFL and ready to see if he can earn a spot on Minnesota's final 2024 roster with the team's regular-season opener less than a month away.

Corral does have a connection to the Vikings, as Minnesota's current quarterbacks coach, Josh McCown, had the same role with Carolina in 2023 when the young passer was also with the franchise. Perhaps McCown thinks the Vikings can help Corral achieve his potential, unlike the Panthers.

If we're being honest, beginning the 2024 regular season on Minnesota's practice squad seems like the most probable outcome for Corral, barring injury to other Vikings quarterbacks, if he's able to perform well in practice and in the team's preseason matchups during the next few weeks.

It's hard enough for veteran passers who have been with Minnesota for the entire offseason to learn the team's offense under head coach Kevin O'Connell. So, for someone like Corral, who is just joining the Vikings, no one should be expecting him to begin the upcoming regular season on the team's active roster.

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