NFL analyst explains why J.J. McCarthy injury might be a net positive for Vikings heading into Week 1 tilt against Giants

News of J.J. McCarthy's injury has been a sobering early kick in the side of Minnesota Vikings fans. McCarthy looked competent on his debut, so some fans expected to see him start for the team.

However, others wanted the team to wait. With the injury now in play, the decision, it seems, has been made for them.

On Wednesday's edition of Pro Football Talk, NFL analyst Chris Simms claimed the Vikings might believe the injury was a net positive for the team for Week 1.

"I think Sam Darnold is maybe in the best spot he's ever been in his career to show everybody finally why he was a top-five pick by the New York Jets and doing all that," Simms said.

"He fits this offense, too, just like we talked about with J.J. McCarthy. ... It takes the pressure off and maybe takes the pressure off the whole organization now. Or they can just go, ... 'That might be better than the rookie starting there anyways'. [00:00:41]"

Of course, Simms did not say that in the long-term future, the injury will not cause trouble for the team this season. Sam Darnold's ceiling with the team isn't set in stone, but by drafting McCarthy 10th overall, it is clear that the team eventually wants to see him take over.

That said, instead of dealing with the pressure from the fanbase and the timing of the transition, the team now can focus purely on getting the most out of Darnold.

J.J. McCarthy's mentor was given opportunity to replace ghosts with wins in 2024

Sam Darnold at Las Vegas Raiders v Minnesota Vikings - Source: Getty

Slotted cleanly into the lineup as McCarthy's veteran mentor, there was once a time that Darnold was in McCarthy's position. Drafted in 2018 as the would-be Jets savior before Zach Wilson, Darnold was given three seasons to elevate the team.

However, it wasn't winning that sticks in the minds of NFL fans. Rather, it was a comment he made on the sideline in a game near the end of his run that caught everyone's attention. He said he was "seeing ghosts." To this day, that is the quote fans associate with Darnold.

However, with the quarterback getting his first long-term starting reps after spending time with Kyle Shanahan last season, he has as good a shot as ever to deliver on hopes. Armed with Justin Jefferson and winning coach Kevin O'Connell, hopes are rising for Darnold for the first time in years.

With Geno Smith proving that former Jets quarterbacks can be salvaged elsewhere, Vikings fans have plenty of reason to hope for a similar result this year. Will Sam Darnold change the calculus of the NFC North?

If any of the above quotes are used, credit "Pro Football Talk," and H/T Sportskeeda.