Vikings' McCarthy says injury won't limit him after preseason defeat
Bleacher Report said Vikings quarterback J. J. McCarthy downplayed a first-quarter injury, stating it would not affect his availability, after he left the 13-3 preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens on August 11, and coach Kevin O'Connell discussed the team's quarterback depth. Coach Kevin O'Connell had earlier named Kyler Murray the starter and kept McCarthy as the backup, a move reported by ProFootballRumors. Analyst Ross Tucker later said he was unclear about ESPN insider Adam Schefter's claim that McCarthy would be forced into a backup role, according to Awful Announcing. CBS Sports noted that NFL teams were evaluating McCarthy's future and his starter potential.
Minnesota Sports Fan reported that sources linked McCarthy to a possible trade, while NBC Sports observed his modest performance in limited action, prompting depth-chart questions. The New York Times reported that during a joint practice with the Ravens, Murray struggled early but finished with a 40-yard touchdown to Justin Jefferson, and teammates criticized the run game. NBC Sports later reported that McCarthy started the preseason game against the Ravens, completed five of ten passes before being injured and replaced by Carson Wentz in the second quarter. NFL. com reported that the Vikings fell 13-3 to the Ravens after McCarthy's early exit.
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