Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback JJ McCarthy is reportedly planning to hold out if the team fails to meet one of his conditions.
The Vikings traded up one spot via the New York Jets to select JJ McCarthy with the No. 10 selection. The Michigan product bolstered his draft value by helping the Wolverines win a national championship in his final college season.
Among all six quarterbacks who were taken in round one, only McCarthy and Caleb Williams (first overall to the Chicago Bears) have yet to sign their rookie contracts. But according to a new report, McCarthy is prepared to drag this out if necessary.
Following up on his report from last month, X/Twitter user @prettyrickey213 claims that the 21-year-old JJ McCarthy plans “to hold out if he doesn’t receive his full signing bonus payment upfront.”
@prettyrickey213 isn’t a reputable NFL insider like ESPN’s Adam Schefter or NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. However, the account has a history of beating such insiders to breaking news, including Trevor Lawrence’s $275 million extension with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tyler Boyd’s decision to join the Tennessee Titans on a one-year deal.
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So, make of this JJ McCarthy report from the account as you will. But until/unless the former Michigan star puts the pen to paper, the holdout rumors will continue to swirl.
JJ McCarthy May Sit In His Rookie Year
Unlike Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders), McCarthy is far from a guarantee to start in his rookie year. So if the Vikings decide to go with Sam Darnold in Week 1, they can afford to let a possible McCarthy holdout drag on if necessary.
After parting ways with Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins (signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency) the Vikings signed Darnold with the idea of him being a short-term starter while they develop their next QB (McCarthy).
Many scouts and analysts viewed McCarthy as a prospect that wasn’t quite NFL-ready; one that needed time to sit and hone his craft before taking on the starting role. So compared to other rookie QBs, he wouldn’t have that much leverage in contract negotiations.
