Zulgad's Vikings observations: J.J. McCarthy's rough practice gives him an opportunity to show resilience
The QB rebounded Saturday after struggling on Friday. Plus, updates on Sam Darnold's chemistry with Justin Jefferson, Will Reichard's big leg and more.
J.J. McCarthy had his first really rough day of training camp on Friday afternoon at TCO Performance Center. The rookie quarterback took 22 snaps - Sam Darnold got 24 - but completed only 8-of-16 passes and nearly had one picked off by safety Theo Jackson in a third-and-goal situation during a Red Zone drill.
McCarthy did get a few snaps with the No. 1 offense in a Red Zone period, the first time he has received that opportunity in camp, but otherwise it was a day to forget. The practice ended with McCarthy leading the second-team offense in a late-game situation (1 minute left), his team down by six points and one timeout.
McCarthy completed three of his first four passes, but then made the massive mistake of taking a sack on second down in plus territory. The Vikings’ time out was gone and there were 13 seconds left when McCarthy clocked the ball. He then had his pass tipped at the line of scrimmage on fourth down, ending the practice and leaving us all with one important question.
How would McCarthy respond?
The answer came on Saturday and likely left coach Kevin O’Connell very happy. McCarthy rebounded by completing 17-of-21 passes as he took 28 snaps. There were two touchdown passes in the Red Zone in 11-on-11, and two very nicely thrown balls that resulted in big gains for Nick Muse and Brandon Powell.
McCarthy made another impressive pass after being flushed out of the pocket. Leaving his feet, he threaded the ball to Jalen Nailor for what looked like a 15-yard gain. McCarthy also got another brief chance with the first-team offense, hitting on 5-of-6 passes in 7-on-7. Two went to Jordan Addison and another to Justin Jefferson.
Failure isn’t a problem if it serves as a learning experience that makes you better in the long run. On Saturday, McCarthy looked like a guy who had no problem forgetting a bad day and bouncing back.
Expected starter Sam Darnold appears to be developing chemistry with with wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Why is this noteworthy? Because Darnold and Jefferson did not seem to be on the same page early in camp on the intermediate throws to Jefferson that are so important in the Vikings’ offense. Darnold connected with Jefferson on Friday for a significant gain in the 2-minute drill, and then completed at least four more passes to Jefferson on Saturday. This included a deep pass to Jefferson (in 7-on-7) that would have been a touchdown and a nice pass on the sideline in 11-on-11. Darnold has shown the arm strength to throw a quality deep ball since camp opened, but it’s encouraging to see the 15-to-20 yard connections increasing.
Rookie kicker Will Reichard ended practice by making kicks from 34, 42, 46, 48, 53 and 58 yards. His 6-of-6 performance made him 12-of-14 in camp. Reichard made the 58-yarder without breaking a sweat.
This isn’t the old days of grueling training camp practices, but it’s noteworthy that O’Connell had his team in full pads in four of their five practices this week. The Vikings’ 1-4 start and fumbling problems early last season likely caused O’Connell to want to see his team come out of the gate more physical and tougher.
The Vikings might have taken defensive tackle Levi Drake Rodriguez in the seventh round of the draft in April, but the rookie with the motor that never stops has impressed. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores has given Rodriguez snaps with the first team the past two practices.
Cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. is looking like a long shot to make the roster. The Vikings’ second-round pick in 2022 appears to be near the bottom of the depth chart and is getting third-team reps at times.
Finally saw the Vikings work on their kickoff plans Friday. There will be two men back in the new format. The first pairing was Kene Nwangwu and Nailor, the second was Brandon Powell and Myles Gaskin and the third was Ty Chandler and Malik Knowles. I had my doubts about Nwangwu making the 53-man roster when camp began but now think he has a spot locked up.
Jerry Tillery, a free agent addition to the defensive line, was taken off the field on a cart with what looked like a leg injury.
How is my guy McGlothern doing? I think he is a steady reliable cornerback who is capable of making the big play in crucial situations. PFF loves him. I hope he makes the 53.