Player comparisons are everywhere, and fair or not, they come with connotations. Big-armed, inconsistent prospects get likened to Carson Wentz; their pocket-bound counterparts are called the next Kirk Cousins.
Despite being based on playstyle, instead of outcomes, nobody wants to hear their first-round pick linked to an uninspiring veteran. Perhaps some Minnesota Vikings fans recoiled when listening to Ty Dunne's "Go Long" podcast, where analyst Matthew Coller suggested that quarterback J.J. McCarthy looked a lot like Alex Smith.
McCarthy's comparison is good news for Minnesota
For a generation of football fans, Smith epitomized the game manager moniker. He was outdone in his draft class by the incredible Aaron Rodgers, and then usurped by Colin Kaepernick on the way to Super Bowl 47. His time with the Kansas City Chiefs ended by way of supernova Patrick Mahomes taking his spot before embarking on a dynasty.
Upside isn't Smith's middle name, but that doesn't mean McCarthy is destined for early-playoff losses. Rather, Coller focused on McCarthy's command of the offense when comparing the two passers.
"He gets rid of the football. He makes plays with his legs. He's in total control," Coller said. "And I was saying something as a comparison that I want people to take the right way, is that what I saw in this training camp was him sort of playing like Alex Smith.
"And for some reason, that's an insult until you actually look up Alex Smith's career. And you're like, oh, actually Alex Smith, who was kind of criticized for not being aggressive enough or whatever, but I thought that he utilized what was there in front of him."
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The easy retort is that McCarthy is more talented than Smith. He's happy to scramble when necessary, was an occasional piece of Michigan's rushing attack, and has a howitzer attached to his right shoulder, even if the Wolverines didn't need him to use it all that much. The Vikings are banking on those physical tools elevating the passing offense to the top of the conference.
However, Coller isn't putting a cap on Minnesota's ceiling because of McCarthy. Instead, he's offering a promising update on the harder parts of playing quarterback: operating on time, within structure, without putting the ball in harm's way. If McCarthy's intangibles stand out, Minnesota might be off to the races.
"I think it's a major part of his mindset to be a playmaker, and he's had to figure out when to do that throughout training camp," Coller said. "And that's been a major coaching point for Kevin O'Connell."
Nobody can promise that McCarthy will win 14 games in his first year as a starter or be an immediate upgrade to the breakout season Sam Darnold enjoyed a season ago. But there are no questions about him having the tools to get there. If he's also earning praise for his prowess between the ears, implied by a comparison to Smith's steady hand, expectations should remain high.
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