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By Michael Gallagher
Sports Content Coordinator
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When the Minnesota Vikings traded up to snag quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the plan was always for him to the be team's franchise quarterback.
Those plans took a bit of a detour when McCarthy tore his meniscus last preseason and missed his entire rookie year after undergoing two surgeries — one in August to fix his meniscus and another in November to address some significant swelling after his first surgery.
The Vikings' front office apparently believes in McCarthy enough to let Sam Darnold walk in free agency after a career-reviving season, in which he threw for 4,319 yards and 36 touchdowns and led Minnesota to a 14-3 record and playoff appearance.
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As McCarthy enters his first Week 1 start — a Sept. 8 "Monday Night Football" clash with the division rival Chicago Bears — there's no question the former Michigan star will be under a microscope.
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While there are still some analysts who have their concerns about McCarthy taking over as Minnesota's starting quarterback, one person who isn't concerned is Vikings great Daunte Culpepper.
In a recent interview with BetwayInsider, Culpepper revealed that he sees great potential in McCarthy, and he's bullish on the 22-year-old signal-caller proving all of his critics wrong.
"I think he's a great quarterback," Culpepper said. "I don't think he gets enough credit athletically, based on the offense that he played in at Michigan. I got a chance to be around him for about three weeks last month and I'll tell you I was blown away with his accuracy, his ball placement and just the zip he has on his passes. I was very impressed, and his footwork is very, very good. So he's primed to have a great year and I'm pulling for him."
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Minnesota played it safe with McCarthy during the preseason, limiting him to just eight drop backs in one game.
He completed 4 of 7 passes for 30 yards in that contest, and while it's certainly not a big enough sample size to accurately judge whether or not he's ready to take over an offense, Culpepper says he's confident McCarthy will reach his potential because of what he does behind the scenes with his teammates.
"In the time I was around him, I noticed that he has that 'it factor' as a leader," Culpepper added. "He's well-respected, because he's earned the respect of his teammates through the hard work and dedication that he's put into getting himself ready. They see it, and it's contagious when your quarterback is that way."
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