The Minnesota Vikings’ preseason has gone from bad to painful, with backup quarterback J.J. McCarthy showing regression, edge rusher depth looking dangerously thin, and Brian Flores’ stalled lawsuit keeping him in purple. Darren Campbell and Dave Stefano break it all down on Two Old Bloggers.
McCarthy, the highest-drafted quarterback in franchise history, has fans wincing. After a 13-3 loss to the Ravens, Dave didn’t mince words: “I think he’s regressed.” Darren agreed, noting “the ruthless consistency that you need to be an NFL quarterback… is just not there with J.J. McCarthy at this point in time.” The same issues that plagued McCarthy in 2025 — inaccuracy, poor ball placement, shaky pocket presence — were on full display again. Dave admitted, “He flashes at times and that gets you all excited, and then he reverts,” before delivering the gut punch: “I’m off his train.” Darren went further: “I feel more confident in Carson Wentz being the backup quarterback than I do in J.J. McCarthy.” Dave even floated trading McCarthy to the Colts one-for-one for Anthony Richardson, giving both former first-rounders a fresh start.
The edge rusher situation is equally unsettling. Starters Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel are solid — Turner “was killing it” in joint practices — but the depth behind them is a giant question mark. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Tyler Batty, Bo Richter, and Chaz Chambliss combined for just over 110 defensive snaps last season. Darren’s concern was palpable: “I don’t know if they can be really an effective guy.” Meanwhile, veteran edge rushers are disappearing — Za’Darius Smith signed with Atlanta, Von Miller with Dallas, Derek Barnett with Cleveland. Haason Reddick, Kyle Van Noy, Joey Bosa, and Leonard Floyd remain available, but time is running out. Dave suggested GM Nolan Teasley might wait for cut-down day on August 30th to scavenge reinforcements.
One silver lining? Brian Flores’ discrimination lawsuit against the NFL continues with no end in sight, keeping him from head coaching opportunities. “The longer it drags on, the longer he gets to stay,” Dave noted. Darren added that when the Vikings offense finally catches up to Flores’ defense, “that’s when the Vikings are gonna be… a Super Bowl contender.”
Key Points:
- J.J. McCarthy appears to be regressing, with the same accuracy and pocket presence issues persisting into Year 3
- Dave Stefano is “off the train” on McCarthy; Darren feels more confident in Carson Wentz as the backup
- Edge rusher depth is a major concern behind starters Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel
- Veteran free-agent edge rushers are signing elsewhere, thinning the available pool
- Brian Flores’ ongoing lawsuit keeps him in Minnesota, which benefits the Vikings defense
- Win projections have the Vikings at 8.7 wins, lowest in the NFC North
- Kyler Murray has been inconsistent in training camp and joint practices
- Kevin O’Connell’s preseason approach mirrors other NFL coaches — starters barely play
- Roster battles: Tai Felton and Myles Price appear to lock up WR4/5; TE3 remains unsettled
- Final preseason game Friday in Denver, with cut-down day Saturday August 30th
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Open Question for Readers:
Are you still holding out hope for J.J. McCarthy, or is it time for the Vikings to cut bait?