The Vikings Now Have One of the Most Valuable Assets in Football

The Vikings have a starting quarterback on a rookie contract. That's massive.

Oct 23, 2021; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

J.J. McCarthy doesn't have to become a star to justify the Vikings trading up to draft him with the 10th overall pick in this year's draft. Of course, Minnesota is hoping that he turns into one of the best quarterbacks in the league. But even if McCarthy is just decent, he'll still be one of the more valuable assets in football: A starting quarterback on a rookie contract.

The best quarterback situation possible in the NFL (outside of having Patrick Mahomes) is an elite QB on a rookie deal. That's what the Texans have right now in C.J. Stroud, and it's what the six teams who drafted a passer in the top 12 picks this year hope they're getting. The next-best thing is to have your quarterback fit at least one of those two descriptors. Either you're paying top dollar for an elite QB (like Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, or Lamar Jackson) or you have a solid QB on a rookie contract (it obviously doesn't work if the young QB is outright bad). Previously, when paying Kirk Cousins $30-35 million per year, the Vikings had neither. They were stuck in purgatory.

The Vikings believe McCarthy has a chance to be very good in the NFL. He landed in an ideal situation in Minnesota, where he'll be coached by Kevin O'Connell and Josh McCown while playing with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Christian Darrisaw, and Brian O'Neill, among others. The desired outcome is that the Michigan product becomes very good in the next couple years, giving the Vikings a Super Bowl ceiling.

But there's a chance the Vikings could have a Super Bowl ceiling over the next few years even if McCarthy just becomes solid or pretty good. In 2025, once the dead cap hits for Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter and others are off the Vikings' books, they're projected to have $86 million in cap space, the sixth-most in the NFL. A Justin Jefferson extension will impact that number, but there are plenty of ways to create even more space. If McCarthy is at least good enough to become the Vikings' starter, they'll have substantial cap space every year over the course of his rookie contract. That can be used to sign marquee free agents and build out a talented, well-rounded roster.

Just think about all of the teams that have gone to Super Bowls with quarterbacks on rookie contracts this century. Jared Goff and the Rams. Colin Kaepernick and Brock Purdy on the 49ers, over a decade apart. Burrow and the Bengals. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. Carson Wentz (until he got injured and Nick Foles took over) and the Eagles. Eli Manning, Joe Flacco, Ben Roethlisberger, and Russell Wilson won Super Bowls during their rookie deals (as did Mahomes and Tom Brady).

The Vikings are hoping McCarthy becomes a great NFL quarterback and holds down that position for the franchise for the next 15 years. But even if he's just good for the next four or five years, he'll be a very valuable asset.

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