Rookie QB J.J.McCarthy needs surgery on a meniscus tear in his knee, Vikings say
The No. 10 pick in the draft, McCarthy was hurt at some point Saturday during his preseason debut.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy has a torn meniscus in his right knee that will require surgery, coach Kevin O’Connell said Tuesday.
McCarthy was hurt at some point Saturday during his preseason debut, when he went 11 for 17 for 188 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception against Las Vegas. McCarthy reported persistent soreness to the team when players reconvened Monday, sending the 10th overall pick in the draft out of national champion Michigan for further examination.
The Eagles will host the Vikings in a preseason game on Aug. 24.
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The Vikings had not yet determined a date for the procedure or learned how long the 21-year-old will need to recover, meaning McCarthy could be back in about a month or miss the entire season. The rehabilitation for a full repair is much longer than if there’s just a partial tear, and the severity typically is not known until the procedure takes place. Even if McCarthy’s injury is considered minor and he comes back on the shorter end of the range of timetables, this development was a big blow, considering the promise he has shown and the plan to increase his turns with the first-team offense this week through the end of training camp.
The Vikings were traveling Tuesday for two days of joint practices and a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Sam Darnold has been on top of the depth chart at quarterback all spring and summer and will now be solidified as the starter to open the season. Nick Mullens will be the clear backup, with Jaren Hall also on the roster entering his second year. O’Connell said he had no immediate plan to add another quarterback.