There's no doubt about it now.
The Minnesota Vikings have to plan for a quarterback future with one particular thing in mind when it comes to QB J.J. McCarthy.
That is: He can't seem to stay on the field.
McCarthy left Sunday's game against the Giants and didn't return after sustaining a right hand injury.
This is the same guy who missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, then missed a bunch of time earlier this season, too.
The Vikings probably don't want to move on from McCarthy entirely after picking him No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. But they've got to view this through a wider lens, too.
"The Vikings will have to take into account McCarthy's struggles to stay on the field as they plan for 2026," ESPN's Kevin Seifert wrote on Monday. "His frenetic playing style sometimes leads to big plays, such as his 12-yard touchdown run Sunday. But it leaves him taking far too many hits, whether it be on opposing players' helmets in the pocket or via open-field tackles outside of it."
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The Vikings may be forced to start undrafted rookie Max Brosmer in Week 17. Brosmer was miserable in his first start, an admittedly tough stage on the road in Seattle.
It'd certainly help Minnesota to know if Brosmer even has potential as a long-term backup or if he looks overmatched again.
Beyond that, they'll likely need to plan on bringing in a veteran in the offseason.
The QB waters are murky for the Vikings, but at least they now understand without a shadow of a doubt that McCarthy's durability is a concern.
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