EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have moved forward with a roster revolving around J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback and tabled consideration of Aaron Rodgers — even if the door remains open at least a little.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah confirmed Wednesday that the Vikings had extensive conversations about and with Rodgers, the four-time NFL MVP award winner who was recently released by the New York Jets.
The plan all along has been to turn the offense over to McCarthy this season, even if the injury that erased his rookie year and set up Sam Darnold for his breakout performance was entirely unexpected.
“When we pooled the resources we did to draft J.J. and you go through that long process and all those things, that’s the outcome we want and that’s the outcome we’re headed toward,” Adofo-Mensah said.
But given the interest Rodgers had in joining them, the Vikings felt he was an option — even at age 41 — worth exploring. Coach Kevin O'Connell had a pre-existing relationship with Rodgers and spoke at length with him about where both the team and the player were at, Adofo-Mensah said.
“Given where we are scenario-wise, we didn’t think it was the right move at this point,” Adofo-Mensah said in the first public comments the Vikings have made since free agency began two weeks ago.
One of the complications in this case is the salary cap value to the Vikings of having McCarthy on a rookie contract that would be diminished by bringing in a player such as Rodgers on a deal that would undoubtedly have to be bigger than the $10 million they paid Darnold to be the bridge last year.
But if they're suddenly unsure about McCarthy's health or development later this summer, assuming Rodgers doesn't pick the Pittsburgh Steelers instead, the Vikings could also revisit this.
“For me to sit here and say that anything’s 100%, forever, that’s just not the job, right?” Adofo-Mensah said. “We’re responding to scenarios and different information as it comes, so obviously things can change. But right now, we’re really happy with our room.”
McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, said this week on the ” Up and Adams Show ″ on FanDuel TV that the Vikings have not actually informed him he will be the starter.
“I’m happy they didn’t, because I try to earn it every single day, and I never want that to be given to me,” McCarthy said in that interview.
McCarthy also said he considers himself 100% healthy after rehabilitating from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, which has matched the team's assessment.
“At every checkpoint, whether it’s been the draft process or practicing until the injury and really the offseason now, he’s met the bar,” Adofo-Mensah said, “He’s exceeded our expectations at every point.”
Though the Vikings have not yet cleared up the picture around their depth chart at quarterback, where Brett Rypien is currently the only other one on the roster beside McCarthy, they made significant commitments to bolster several other vital positions.
That started with the interior of both lines, with defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave and center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries.
Byron Murphy was a priority re-signing at cornerback, where Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah were added to help fill voids left by departing veteran free agents. They restructured safety Harrison Smith's contract for what will be his 14th year in the league.
The Vikings also re-signed Aaron Jones and traded for Jordan Mason to solidify the running back position, and they added Rondale Moore to their wide receiver group.
Allen, Hargrave, Kelly, Fries, Okudah and Moore all missed significant time to injuries last season, and Allen, Hargrave and Kelly are all in their 30s.
“We're just always trying to find that value," Adofo-Mensah said.
Adofo-Mensah has entered the final year of his contract and has yet to sign an extension with the Vikings, who gave one to O'Connell two months ago. Adofo-Mensah, however, didn't hint at any unease about the situation.
“I promise you I don’t wake up thinking about that for one second,” he said. “I wake up thinking about how do we improve this team.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
FILE - New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) looks out over the line of scrimmage during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Oct. 6, 2024 in London. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano, File)
FILE - Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy stands before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Oct. 24, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File)
