The Vikings Receiver Decisions Could Telegraph McCarthy’s Timeline
Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
The Minnesota Vikings could be having a down year in 2024, but that doesn’t mean this season won’t have its intrigue. The biggest question is: When will the JJ McCarthy Era begin? Right now, that top spot on the depth chart belongs to Sam Darnold, but can McCarthy surprise us and overtake him on Day 1? What the team does at wide receiver in the next couple of weeks could tip their hand on who they decide to start on September 8 against the San Francisco Giants.
The Vikings have their first top two wide receiver spots locked down. Justin Jefferson is arguably the best in the NFL, so he’s on top. Jordan Addison has a firm grasp on the N0. 2 spot, even though he’s entering just his second season. After catching 70 passes for 911 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie, he has quickly shown why he has the skill set to be elite.
After Jefferson and Addison, there are some question marks, and it’s where the Vikings can tip their hand about who they might start in a couple of months.
The Vikings’ wide receiver depth chart includes Trent Sherfield Jr., Brandon Powell, Lucky Jackson, and Jalen Nailor, among others. That group could have some real talent, as many believe Nailor can fill the hole left by K.J. Osborn’s departure to the New England Patriots.
If Nailor doesn’t take that big step forward that many believe he could make, it’s a huge risk. One that’s hard to imagine that the team would be willing to take if they plan on starting McCarthy in Week 1. Last season, Nailor caught three passes for 29 yards, though he has shown flashes, especially during the preseason. If the Vikings end up making a trade in the next couple of weeks for an established No. 3 option, it could tip their hand that we’ll see McCarthy soon.
Just because Darnold is starting now, but that doesn’t mean he will be named the starter Week 1. But while the team isn’t necessarily punting on the season if they start Darnold, there many expectations that the team will make a deep playoff run with him under center. It doesn’t make much sense for the Vikings to trade future draft capital for a wideout, unless they would help them beyond this season.
And if Darnold is expected to hold the starting gig for a while, it’s a perfect opportunity to see if they have their long-term third wide receiver on the team. If it doesn’t work out for Nailor, there won’t be a whole lot of downside for the team if Darnold is starting.
If the team is thinking about starting McCarthy early on, however, the team needs to make a trade for a wide receiver. The Houston Texans have a ton at wideout, and they could be willing trade partners if the Vikings want to add some depth.
Robert Woods and Noah Brown are both players who could be had at the right price. Last season with the Texans, Woods caught 40 passes for 426 yards and a touchdown. In 2020, Woods was playing for the Los Angeles Rams, and O’Connell was their new offensive coordinator. Woods was a mismatch for opposing defenses, finishing with 936 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
McCarthy needs as much talent to surround him as possible to try and adjust to the NFL, and not having a single question mark at wide receiver would be key. Even if Nailor does end up being a really good pro, the team should still try to get a more proven option for McCarthy to get him one more weapon.
Even though the results might be similar with McCarthy or Darnold under center, going with McCarthy means committing to making him comfortable under center. It’s the most important task for the Vikings in over a decade. The Vikings could end up winning only two or three games this season with McCarthy starting, but if someone like Woods helps make the transition to the NFL easier, whatever draft capital they gave up would be worth it.
We might not know the final answer about who will start in 2024 until after the third preseason game, but what the Vikings do or don’t do the next three weeks at wide receiver would give a big hint about what the plan is in 2024.
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