J.J. McCarthy’s misses at QB stand out for Vikings in preseason loss - NFL.com
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy struggled during a preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens, completing only 5 of 10 passes. Coach Kevin O'Connell pulled McCarthy early after he took several hard hits, leaving the backup quarterback position uncertain.
Why it matters
The performance of high-draft-pick quarterbacks is critical for team development and long-term roster strategy in the NFL.
MINNEAPOLIS -- J.J. McCarthy had an erratic start for the Minnesota Vikings, completing 5 of 10 passes for 81 yards in a [13-3 preseason loss](https://www.nfl.com/games/ravens-at-vikings-2026-pre-2) to Baltimore on Saturday.
McCarthy played four series with the second-team offense before yielding to 11-year veteran Carson Wentz, leaving the picture unclear about who will be the No. 2 quarterback behind Kyler Murray.
“We want to keep giving those guys opportunities,” said coach Kevin O’Connell, who’d planned to give McCarthy a little more playing time but decided to pull him after a couple of hard hits left him walking gingerly off the field.
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