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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said that quarterback Sam Darnold will get the majority of first-team reps over first-round pick J.J. McCarthy at the team’s training camp, per ESPN’s Kevin Seifert.
“I have no preconceived, pre-set chart depth chart in my mind,” O’Connell said, per The Athletic’s Alec Lewis. “I said at the end of spring that Sam (Darnold) was the No. 1 quarterback.”
While Darnold will be listed as the No. 1 quarterback on the team’s depth chart, McCarthy is expected to get plenty of reps as well. Per Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper, O’Connell said he wants a “really competitive situation” between the two at training camp, though Darnold will be the early favorite to land the starting job.
McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, will reportedly need to have an impressive showing at training camp to replace Darnold as the starter. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on SportsCenter on Sunday that McCarthy “would have to be absolutely all-world in the next six weeks to win” the starting job.
McCarthy had an impressive final year at Michigan in 2023, throwing for 2,991 passing yards and 22 touchdowns while leading the Wolverines to a national championship. But Darnold has veteran experience over his rookie counterpart, and that could be the difference maker in the position battle.
Darnold, who has been a bit of a journeyman in his six-year career, has spent much of the last two seasons as a backup but has plenty of experience as a starting quarterback. While he’s yet to find his stride in the league, Fowler reported that the Vikings believe there is “untapped potential.”
Darnold will look to show that potential at training camp.
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