The Minnesota Vikings will start a different quarterback in Week 3, but not because of performance.
Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy is expected to miss the team’s upcoming game against the Cincinnati Bengals due to a sprained ankle. Coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters Monday that he does not anticipate McCarthy dealing with a long-term absence, but that the team does not expect to have the quarterback this week.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that McCarthy is expected to miss two-to-four weeks with the injury.
Veteran Carson Wentz is in line to start for the Vikings with McCarthy sidelined.
McCarthy’s injury comes after two poor games, with the exception of a good fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears in Week 1. He was particularly poor in Minnesota’s Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, as he went just 11/21 for 158 yards with two interceptions. He was also sacked six times by the Falcons’ defense.
Two starts into his NFL career, McCarthy has only completed 58.5 percent of his passes, and those numbers would be worse without a remarkable fourth quarter comeback in Week 1. Unfortunately, that quarter looks to be the exception to the rule so far in his young career.
Wentz would be making his first appearance for the Vikings. He spent last season with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he started the final game of the 2024 season when the team rested most of its starters.
The Vikings have invested too much in McCarthy, a former No. 10 overall pick, to move on from him this quickly. However, things could get difficult for O’Connell if the team’s offense looks significantly better under Wentz.
