Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is going to be sidelined for the next few weeks as he recovers from a sprained ankle, with Carson Wentz filling in as the team's starter.
But a prolonged absence for the former Michigan standout may benefit him, as his first two games as Minnesota's starting quarterback were iffy at best.
One NFL insider says to have patience with the youngest starting quarterback in the NFL, though, and his injury recovery may give him a chance to reset.
Albert Breer Preaches Patience for J.J. McCarthy
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer recently spoke about McCarthy on his show, the Breer Report, and explained his stance on giving the former Wolverine the benefit of the doubt.
"The reality is, too often these guys aren't given enough patience. And I think we saw the flashes from J.J. on that Monday night against Chicago in the fourth quarter. We have to give him time to develop," said Breer.
"So, you know, it didn't look good on Sunday night against the Falcons for three quarters. It didn't look good against the Bears. But I think giving J.J. McCarthy some runway and some time is important. And I think maybe the injury gives him a chance to reset and take a look at himself again."
To Breer's point, McCarthy's Monday Night Football comeback over the Chicago Bears was a tantalizing taste of what the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is capable of, but it just hasn't shown up consistently during his first two starts.
McCarthy will have the chance to sit back and watch Wentz run the Vikings offense over the next few weeks, and see if there's anything he can do to improve his game before he returns to the starting spot.