Vikings: J.J. McCarthy continues to work through growing pains early on

The 21-year-old looks like a 21-year-old

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy points down the field during the second half of the College Football Playoff national championship game against Washington at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. / Melanie Maxwell / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Minnesota Vikings are entering a new era with Kirk Cousins long gone, and with 2024 NFL Draft first rounder J.J. McCarthy now at the center of attention.

Well, maybe not right away. The Vikings have made it abundantly clear early on, both on their depth chart and with their checkbooks, that they will not rush the national championship-winning quarterback into action after handing Sam Darnold a $10 million contract and naming him the starter early on.

And for good reason.

The 21-year-old quarterback, while starting two straight seasons with the Wolverines, enters the NFL with a lack of experience. In the most crucial games of the season a year ago, McCarthy tended to hand the football off more than he was asked to use his arm to win games. As a result, some of those growing pains are showing in his limited action wearing the purple helmet:

"McCarthy looked like a quarterback with the talent to be a top-10 pick but with the inexperience of a 21-year-old. In other words: Exactly what should have been expected. At times, he fit darts into small windows against aggressive coverage. On other occasions, he bounced passes to receivers with no defenders in the drill."

- ESPN's Kevin Seifert

December 31, 2022; Glendale, Ariz; USA; Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy (9) throws a pass during the pregame before the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Ncaa Fiesta Bowl Game / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY

The room for growth was evident on McCarthy's college tape. A fastball thrower, McCarthy often lacked touch or the ability to layer the football over the middle of the field. In need of reconstructing his feet as well, the Michigan quarterback missed wide left far too many times to open targets. There are plenty of things to like about McCarthy's game, but it's clear he needs time more than other guys drafted in the first round.

When it is his time to take over, however, will McCarthy be ready to lead the Vikings?