Kevin O'Connell will 'sleep easy' knowing the Vikings have the 'right guy'

O'Connell told Dianna Russin that despite a brutal season-ending injury, he is confident because McCarthy has already proven he could be 'the guy'

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) against the Las Vegas Raiders in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Despite losing his rookie QB J.J. McCarthy for the season, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell told The Athletic's Dianni Russini he will "sleep easy" because he knows the team has the "right guy" in McCarthy.

It's not the first time this week that O'Connell has made a fairly definitive statement on how good he feels McCarthy can be. When announcing that the rookie would be out for the season after surgery to repair a torn meniscus, O'Connell said there should still be excitement because "we've got our young franchise quarterback in the building."

O'Connell's most recent comments about McCarthy came in an interview with Russini on. the Scoop City podcast, where he revealed his impressions of Sam Darnold and McCarthy and how he feels that McCarthy is a franchise quarterback.

"In a very short amount of time from rookie minicamp to his performance Saturday night, at home against the Raiders, we saw such growth," O'Connell said. "A guy that had totally bought into the process that we spend a lot of time talking about 'What are we doing in terms of nurturing a quarterback development plan for a player we think can be a really good player. He met us every step of the way. Played really well Saturday but all he really did Saturday was an extension of what his training camp has really been. That's what obviously stings the most, is you feel like it was a player just getting better and better every single day."

O'Connell said the challenge now for McCarthy and the coaching staff is to continue that progress despite a lack of practice reps as the rookie rehabs the injury.

"I just think, whether it's his performance in the rookie show — he gets called up there the second day and just totally brings the house down and the guys are all into it. The way they talk about him down in the locker room, it's never forced but yet everybody feels like they know who J.J. is. They feel like he's already assumed the (leadership) role, clearly with the other rookies," O'Connell said.

"Then when you watch him in the huddle and as he's built up his knowledge in our offense, being in the huddle with Justin (Jefferson) and Christian Darrisaw, Brian O'Neill, Garrett Bradbury. These guys are used to a veteran quarterback in the huddle. Sam's been really good from a standpoint of his role in really a competition, but J.J. was on the come for sure. I think it's just a credit to him and improvement every day.

"There was improvement even when the results weren't always there and that to me is where the really great quarterbacks in this league are process-oriented towards what it takes to win, not always just looking pretty out there and having a bunch of stats and yards. Those things will all come from the process you put together and he's got that."

Now, without McCarthy to fall back on this season, Darnold will be tasked with guiding the Vikings high-powered offense. O'Connell believes Darnold and lead the Vikings to wins.

"I think it comes back to, for me, our system is really predicated on trying to open up voids, vacancies, attack matchups so that the quarterback just has to worry about pitching and catching. Throwing to, hopefully, open receivers and when they're not, making good decisions, checking the ball down, using his athleticism," O'Connell told Russini.

"Sam has always been, as the third pick of the draft the year he came out in a really talented draft, he's always been a guy who's physically had the talent to excel at the quarterback position in the NFL. I think his quarterback journey has really set him up for what I'm hoping is a great year for him.

"What I've asked of him is just to focus on not all that much different than what J.J.'s doing but just as a veteran player... to be totally present every single day. Try to maximize his skillset and his ability. Not overanalyze any one particular area. Just keep getting better every single day so that he's got comfort to play point guard and distribute the football to our playmakers."

O'Connell's comments about what has wowed him about Darnold echoed those of Jefferson, who was impressed by Darnold's ability to throw the deep ball.

"I think his physical arm talent to throw the football is pretty impressive. He easily pushes the ball down the field. Deep balls have been really, really good," said O'Connell.

While the future is clearly on the shoulders of McCarthy, Darnold could set up his own future with a big year.