The Minnesota Vikings made a significant decision this offseason to hand the keys to the franchise over to second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy after letting Sam Darnold walk in free agency.
Nonetheless, that comes with pressure considering that the Vikings are built to win now. Moreover, on the offensive side, all the weapons are in their prime years as T.J. Hockenson is 29, Justin Jefferson is 26, and Jordan Mason is 26 among the players McCarthy will count on this season.
Minnesota are also likely banking on McCarthy and Jefferson being their dynamic duo for years to come, considering there's no sizeable gap in age.
J.J. McCarthy shares thoughts on Justin Jefferson
Now that McCarthy is the starting quarterback, training camp and the preseason have been about establishing chemistry with Jefferson. While speaking to SiriusXM NFL Radio, the University of Michigan product shared his impression of Jefferson now that he's responsible in getting the ball to him and what makes the receiver special.
"It's a quarterback's dream to have a receiver like that," McCarthy said of Jefferson. "We got a lot of great guys in the room, too, but Justin's one of one... His desire to work, his desire to be out there. He doesn't have a cool guy personality; he's just one of the boys. The way he moves is extremely freaky, just how he cuts in and out of routes.
"He has to take two less steps than the rest of the guys because he gets there faster and has longer strides, his body control on the sideline and in the air. It's just things you really don't see, and he has all those attributes all into one. And what I think makes him great is just his mentality and his doglike mentality to show up every day, be the best in the world, and his confidence is through the roof."
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If the Vikings want to win 10 or more games this season and reach the playoffs again, their hopes could ride on the connection that McCarthy and Jefferson have.