{"id":172485,"date":"2024-05-03T13:42:59","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T17:42:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=172485"},"modified":"2024-05-03T13:42:59","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T17:42:59","slug":"what-will-it-j-j-mccarthy-start-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2024\/05\/03\/what-will-it-j-j-mccarthy-start-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"What Will It Take for J.J. McCarthy to Start in 2024?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Minnesota Vikings<\/a> will head into training camp Kirk Cousins-less for the first time since the 2017 season. Quarterbacks Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy\u00a0<\/span>are expected<\/span>\u00a0to compete for the starting job, with Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall\u00a0<\/span>also<\/span> in the mix. As reported in a recent Kevin Seifert article<\/a>, General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has gone on record saying he and head coach Kevin O\u2019Connell have set benchmarks that McCarthy\u00a0<\/span>will have to<\/span> meet before stepping into the starting lineup.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Will It Take for J.J. McCarthy to Start in 2024?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Adding Weight<\/span><\/h3>\n

While weighing\u00a0<\/span>in at<\/span> 219 pounds on his pro day,\u00a0<\/span>he\u2019s listed<\/span> at 202 on Michigan\u2019s website. To bulk up for the combine <\/span>McCarthy<\/span>\u00a0didn\u2019t do any of the jumps or 40-yard dash, putting his focus on his weight. Trusting combine weights can be sketchy since he had months to put on weight and train specifically to bulk, so the Vikings\u2019 staff may want him to put on more muscle before sending him out to NFL defenses.\u00a0<\/span>The\u00a0<\/span>combine weight may prove to<\/span>\u00a0be more muscle than water weight, but that won\u2019t be known until official rosters with heights and weights are listed.<\/span>\u00a0With an NFL weight program, this shouldn\u2019t be a red flag or any reason\u00a0<\/span>he\u2019s forced<\/span>\u00a0to sit for\u00a0<\/span>a long<\/span>\u00a0period.<\/span><\/p>\n

Footwork<\/span><\/h3>\n

One of the things evaluators in NFL media liked about McCarthy was the system he played in at Michigan. Head coach John Harbaugh ran an NFL-style offense that ran plays like you\u2019d see on Sundays. While that\u2019s a positive for McCarthy, it showed some nuances in his game that\u00a0<\/span>need to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be fixed<\/span>. While throwing the ball downfield, and especially to the left side of the field, he tends to overstride on his throws and sail some passes that NFL-caliber quarterbacks make look routine. He doesn’t have a Mahomes-level arm to begin with, and he isn\u2019t doing himself any favors with his throwing mechanics. <\/span>Not only to become a more accurate passer but\u00a0<\/span>to also<\/span>\u00a0unlock that arm strength\u00a0<\/span>that\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0hidden behind his shotty footwork, becoming a more accurate deep ball passer by fixing his footwork is a must for him to start any time in 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n

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McCarthy has a tendency to overstride and have other wonky footwork when throwing to the outside, particularly to the left. pic.twitter.com\/bPqRBagoeU<\/a><\/p>\n

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) March 2, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n