I am a firm believer in giving a young QB at least two years of starts (I would do three years if I am running things) before attempting to make a decision on their long term prospects with the team. Young QBs need time and will make mistakes like all QBs do. Patience is the key. The hopes are obviously very high but they cannot overtake common sense.

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I asked google “how many years should an nfl team give a rookie quarterback before moving on” and here is the AI Mode response …

In the NFL, the question of how long to give a rookie quarterback before moving on is a complex one, as there’s no single “correct” answer. It depends heavily on individual circumstances and the needs of the team.

Factors influencing the decision:

Talent and Development: Some rookies demonstrate the ability to lead a team quickly, while others need more time to learn and adjust to the NFL’s speed and complexity.

Team Situation:

Need at the position: If a team has a pressing need for a starting QB, they may be forced to play a rookie sooner.

Veteran mentorship: A strong veteran QB on the roster can provide invaluable guidance and allow a rookie to develop at a more measured pace.

Overall team strength: A strong supporting cast (offensive line, receivers, etc.) can help a rookie succeed even if they are still developing.

Coaching and Strategy: A capable coaching staff can implement schemes that help a rookie QB succeed and provide the necessary support for their development.

Contract Situation: First-round rookie contracts are typically four years with a fifth-year option, providing a defined window for evaluation.

Patience and Evaluation: Teams need to be patient, especially with highly-drafted rookies, but also realistic about whether a player is demonstrating enough growth to be the long-term solution.

Common approaches and timelines:

Year 1-2: Some teams may start their rookie QB right away, even if it means weathering some growing pains. Others opt to sit them behind a veteran, allowing them to learn without the pressure of being the immediate starter.

Year 3-4: By this point, teams generally have a good idea of a QB’s potential and whether they should be considered the franchise player. It’s crucial to evaluate their progress and decide whether to exercise the fifth-year option or consider other options.

Beyond Year 4: If a QB hasn’t shown the necessary improvement or consistency by the end of their rookie contract, the team may look to move on.

In summary: There’s no set rule for how long a team should give a rookie QB. It’s a strategic decision based on the player’s potential, the team’s needs, and the overall context of the situation. While patience is important, teams also need to be realistic about when to make a change.

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Former Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper says J.J. McCarthy will be “a master”

Daunte Culpepper recently sat down with WCCO’s Mike Max and gave his thoughts about J.J. McCarthy, the first-round pick set to take the reins in 2025.

“I saw him at practice last week and he looks great,” Culpepper said. “He has that it factor, I always say, he has it. And I can see it in his eyes, he’s ready to go out and tear it up.”

“I think it won’t be a hard transition for him in the NFL,” Culpepper said. “As long as we keep him healthy and keep him off the ground, with those weapons around him, I see great things.”

A year later, Culpepper suffered a brutal knee injury that ultimately derailed his career.

“It definitely changed the trajectory of my career,” Culpepper said. “Didn’t know it then, I thought, you always think you’re gonna overcome everything. I was able to at least come back and play some, but I was never myself.”

McCarthy is recovering from his own injury, though a much less impactful one. Culpepper believes McCarthy is ready to give the Vikings something they haven’t had since his early playing days: a true franchise quarterback.

“I think that he’s gonna surprise a lot of people. Because his ability, I watched him make every throw, he has a lot of zip on his passes and he is very knowledgeable of the offense, he knows where everybody’s at,” Culpepper said. “I think he’s gonna be a master, I think he’s working his way to be a master, and just remember I said it first, he’s gonna tear up the league.”

How many years will you be willing to watch young JJ play before making your decision?

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Minnesota Vikings News and Links

Ranking 2025 NFL QBs by tiers: Jayden Daniels joins elite crop; Caleb Williams among promising prospects

Tier 3: Promising Prospects (4)

J.J. McCarthy | Age: 22 | Season: 2nd

Everything about the Minnesota Vikings suggests he’s in for a cool debut after missing 2024 due to knee surgeries: head coach Kevin O’Connell, a Justin Jefferson-led skill group and an exotic defense promise elite support. Fans may have inflated expectations after journeyman Sam Darnold won 14 games a year ago.

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Five things we know about Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

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NFC North coaching staff rankings: Vikings’ leadership is among the elite

1. Vikings

Head coach: Kevin O’Connell

Coordinators: Wes Phillips (O), Brian Flores (D)

Notable assistants: Keenan McCardell (WRs), Josh McCown (QBs)

The Vikings’ coaching staff can go toe-to-toe with the league’s best. Playoff success hasn’t been there yet, but reigning NFL coach of the year Kevin O’Connell is 34-17 in three regular seasons despite having five different quarterbacks start games during that span. His next task is to develop his long-term guy at the position in J.J. McCarthy. Phillips and McCown will also be a big part of that effort, along with Jordan Traylor, who was hired to replace the departed Grant Udinski.

In addition to one of the game’s top offensive minds, the Vikings also have a madman mastermind on the defensive side of the ball. Flores had led one of the best, most unique defenses in the NFL over the last two seasons, and his personnel for 2025 is better than ever. The Vikings feel lucky to still have him after he interviewed for three head coaching vacancies in the winter. If Flores departs (which could happen as soon as next year), Daronte Jones might be in line to replace him internally. Flores, Phillips, McCown, McCardell, and Udinski could all be future head coaches in the league.

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5 undrafted rookies with the best chance to make the Vikings’ roster

Zemaiah Vaughn, CB, Utah

Guaranteed money: $249,000

Vaughn is a long, slender cornerback who stands nearly 6’3” and is an explosive athlete. He ran a 4.45 40 and posted great numbers in the jumps (though his agility testing wasn’t great). A five-year player at Utah, Vaughn had five pass breakups, a forced fumble, a pick-six, two sacks, and five total tackles for loss last season. He hit the ground running with the Vikings during the offseason program, breaking up several passes in 7-on-7 action at practices open to the media. With corner being a question mark in Minnesota, Vaughn certainly has a path to making the roster.

Tyler Batty, OLB, BYU

Guaranteed money: $259,000

Batty, who got more money than any other Vikings UDFA this year, is about as NFL-ready as they come, considering he just turned 26 years old. After a two-year mission in Spain, he played five seasons for the Cougars, recording 16.5 sacks and 34 total TFL. He also had two interceptions last season. Batty is a big, strong edge defender with some burst and a high motor. He’s listed as an outside linebacker, but he could also play with his hand in the dirt on the defensive line. Can he beat out someone like Bo Richter or Gabriel Murphy for a roster spot?

Silas Bolden, WR, Texas

Guaranteed money: $205,000

Ben Yurosek, TE, Georgia

Guaranteed money: $254,000

Logan Brown, OL, Kansas

Guaranteed money: $244,000

Five more to keep in mind:

Austin Keys, LB, Auburn

Max Brosmer, QB, Minnesota

Chaz Chambliss, OLB, Georgia

Joe Huber, OL, Wisconsin

Oscar Chapman, P, Auburn

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10 Big-Picture Takeaways from Vikings Offseason Program

1. McCarthy’s process is progressing | By Rob Kleifield

The process is the progress. Hmm, actually, progress is the process.

“I’m trying to experiment as much as possible because this is the time to do it,” McCarthy told reporters at the conclusion of Minnesota’s mandatory minicamp. “This is the time to try things. This is the time to talk through different reads with K.O. (O’Connell), and it’s a blessing to be able to have that coaching staff behind me that supports me and encourages that. That’s the quickest way you’re going to learn, the quickest way you’re going to grow. So, I’ve been doing that pretty much every day.”

The offseason program served multiple purposes for McCarthy. It allowed him to gel with teammates and coaches, new and old; it let him toy with a risk tolerance that tested differently paced and placed passes in a no-real-harm-done setting; and it pitted him against a defense that ranks with the best of them.

“It’s been awesome because they’ve really pushed the limits on just what I can handle, and that’s what I asked for,” McCarthy said regarding his workload. “I’d rather sweat in training and limit the bleeding [in games]. But, yeah, they’ve just been doing a tremendous job of preparing us and making sure that we find comfort in uncomfortable positions that we’re inevitably going to be in.”

2. Anchored by Ryan Kelly, revamped o-line under development | By Lindsey Young

The group is anchored and impacted by Ryan Kelly, whom the Vikings signed in March as a free agent. The 10th-year center adds tremendous experience and talent to the line and also is helpful in prepping McCarthy for his first season as Minnesota’s starting QB.

“Besides his playing value, just being an extremely strong and seasoned veteran who’s kind of seen it all, he understands what’s happening and is a really smart football player,” Vikings Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips said. “But there is a level of having a veteran center with a young quarterback, where the communication from him to J.J. — communicating fronts, getting calls out, sometimes even seeing something, saying, ‘Hey, watch this guy over here.’

6. Flores & O’Connell making each other better | By Lindsey Young

O’Connell mentioned that Flores “ran some stuff I didn’t even know was in there” during the final minicamp practice.

“Ryan Kelly turned to me and asked me how to target a run. I said, ‘Your guess is as good as mine. I have no idea what they’re doing over there,’ “ O’Connell quipped. “And it was kind of [Kelly’s] first exposure, and they were just trying something out, using a specific grouping that we have not seen before. And that’s just Flo’. I challenge him all the time to do those things, and then we’re doing the same thing on the offensive side, trying to take something that now some of our players are two, three years in on this play, so can we find nuances to it to give the players more ownership on either side of the ball?

“That’s something that I’ve really felt both sides really stressing this year, is we know the systems, we kind of know the baseline of it, but here’s the next layer of it, where we want you guys to have that player ownership of it and maybe even the control of it, which has been really fun,” he continued. “But it’s happening, and it’ll happen in training camp. I’m sure there’ll be one day when I’m mad at him, or he’s mad at me, and then we have a big ol’ hug after practice and move on. But our team is like that. Our offense and defense are like that. So, Flo’ and I, we wouldn’t be our authentic selves unless we were competing and trying to have the best of our team come out for the betterment of our team.”

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Versatile Playmaker Lands Noteworthy Label After Vikings Doubled Down

“It’s clear that the Vikings see their second tight end as a critical part of the offense,” Barnwell wrote on June 19. “It’s the second time the Vikings have paid Oliver, who joined the team on a three-year, $21 million deal two years ago.

“The numbers back up the idea that Oliver is an elite blocker. He ranked fourth among eligible tight ends in ESPN’s run block win rate a year ago, finishing just behind a former teammate in now-Jaguars tight end Johnny Mundt. NFL Next Gen Stats credited Oliver with only two pressures allowed across 55 pass-blocking snaps, producing a pressure rate that was just about half the league average among tight ends.”

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks noted the shift in teams’ personnel usage in recent seasons. They have moved toward two-tight-end looks.

“Instead of trotting out 11 personnel (3 WRs, 1 TE, 1 RB) to spread out defenses stocked with extra defensive backs and hybrid linebackers, shrewd schemers are utilizing old-school formations from 12 personnel packages (2 WRs, 2 TEs, 1 RB) to create and exploit mismatches all over the field,” Brooks wrote in May 2024.

“Last season, teams utilized 12 personnel on 19.3 percent of offensive snaps, ranking behind only 11 personnel (62.1%) for the most common usage. That ranked as the second-highest rate of 12 personnel deployment in a single season during the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016).”

Brooks noted that the mark in 2023 (18.4%) was “not a drastic” difference from 2024.

Still, the Vikings ranked third in 12 personnel usage during the 2024 regular season, per Sumer Sports. They remain built for success once and could be even better.

“The Vikings’ ability to succeed in 12 personnel is crucial to their offensive success. Their 81.6 team PFF overall grade when in 12 personnel last season tied for fifth best. They also ranked fourth in yards per play and second in successful play rate in those sets,” Pro Football Focus’ Dalton Wasserman wrote on June 2.

“Minnesota’s greatest asset in 12 personnel is its tight ends, T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver. Not only are they talented players, but they complement each other extremely well.”

Wasserman noted that Oliver’s ability to block in-line, particularly in the run game. Oliver ranks second among qualifiers in run-blocking grade from 2022 through 2024. Hockenson is fifth with an 84.3 mark over the last three seasons.

“His blocking prowess and Hockenson’s versatility give the Vikings’ 12-personnel grouping the feel of an 11-personnel unit.

“Oliver is just good enough of a receiver to give teams pause when he’s running routes up the seam and off play-action boot concepts,” Barnwell wrote. “Combine that with great blocking and he’s a very useful player, one who lined up on just about half of the offensive snaps for the Vikings in 2024.”

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Vikings Staring Down $50 Million Problem as Training Camp Nears

Vikings May Need to Roll Over Salary Cap Space to Deal With $51 Million Deficit in 2026

Judd Zulgad and Phil Mackey of the Skor NORTH podcast explained the situation on the Friday, June 20 edition of the show.

“You can roll over cap space. I don’t know exactly if you can roll over all of it or some of it, but you can roll over unused cap space, which they are probably going to need because — as of right now — no team is further over the cap in 2026 than the Minnesota Vikings,” Mackey said. “They’re like $50 million over the cap.”

According to Spotrac, Minnesota currently sits more than $51.1 million in the hole for the 2026 season.

“Be prepared next March for a lot of deals to be … reworked, or a lot of guys to just be let go, too,” Zulgad added.

If the Vikings do spend any of their remaining $18 million this summer, it will likely be on a QB2 to replace Sam Howell.

“I think training camp will dictate some things,” Zulgad said. “I’ll go back to Sam Howell. If Sam Howell craps out in training camp, I don’t know that they’re going to just sort of hold their breath and hope that J.J. does not get hurt.”

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Minnesota Vikings star’s $30 million deal named among NFL’s worst contracts

NFL Spin Zone’s Lou Scataglia recently labeled the Vikings’ two-year, $30 million deal for veteran free agent Javon Hargrave the worst on Adofo-Mensah’s books entering the 2025 season. Here was his take on the signing:

The two-time Pro Bowler is entering his age-32 season in the NFL and played in just three games with the San Francisco 49ers in the 2024 NFL Season, so there is already a risk here with the Minnesota Vikings having made this signing, but I get why it was done.

The Vikings front office prioritized the trenches in a big way this offseason, as they also signed DT Jonathan Allen, center Ryan Kelly, and guard Will Fries, but this is a massive overpay for a DT who is getting old and who has had double-digit QB hits in just three seasons across his career.

Is $15 million per year for a 32-year-old player too steep? Scataglia certainly has a case, but Hargrave’s previous contract with the San Francisco 49ers was four years and $84 million, so you could also argue that they’re getting him at a discount. If injuries derail Hargrave’s 2025 season, the Vikings gave themselves an out by paying the majority of his guaranteed money up front. They can get out of this deal in 2026 for just a $10 million dead-cap charge.

Note: The “writer” did not mention that the Vikings could release him next year and save 11M in cap space while eating 10.5M in dead money. A worthwhile gamble.

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Every NFL team’s make-or-break player for the 2025 season

Minnesota Vikings: DI Javon Hargrave

Last season, Minnesota’s interior defensive linemen ranked 28th in the NFL in PFF pass-rush grade as a unit. The team signed former 49er Javon Hargrave in free agency with the hope of improving upon that. Hargrave’s 2024 season was cut short due to injury, but if he gives the Vikings an elite pass-rush presence, he could change the outlook of their defense.

From 2021 to 2023, Hargrave ranked among the top four qualified defensive tackles in PFF pass-rush grade, pressure rate and pass-rush win rate.

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Minnesota Vikings Get Bad News on Former QB Daniel Jones

“Daniel Jones [is] making his move a little bit minicamp, taking those first-team reps with Anthony Richardson resting his shoulder,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported during an evening edition of “SportsCenter” on June 14. “Richardson plans to be back for training camp for that battle. But I was told Jones was a fast processor at the line of scrimmage [and has] good chemistry with his receivers. He was ‘very sharp,’ as it was told to me, in minicamp as the guy. So, it’s going to be fascinating once they hit camp in that battle.”

The news got worse for the Vikings on Thursday, when NFL.com columnist Jeffri Chadiha interpreted Jones’ progression in Indianapolis to this point not only as a harbinger for quality play in 2025, but as the basis for a “bold prediction” that Jones will win the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award at the end of the upcoming season.

McCarthy is, in several meaningful senses, repeating his rookie campaign in 2025 after suffering a knee injury in August that knocked him out for the entire regular season. The former No. 10 overall pick struggled early, tossing interceptions on multiple consecutive days. However, Fowler added in his June 14 report that the Vikings are happy with how McCarthy has progressed since his rocky start.

“Coming off that knee issue, they knew [McCarthy] could start a little slowly, but they like the way he’s throwing the ball. They feel very comfortable with where he’s at going into training camp,” Fowler said. “They believe in their three-year plan — a young quarterback they like on a rookie scale. So they’ll be aggressive on the roster [around] him. They believe they can win a Super Bowl in the next three years.”

Note: Jones playing well will only help the Vikings with the compensatory picks next year. He knew what time it was in Minnesota and that he would more than likely be relegated to backup. In Indy, his chances are better since Richardson struggled last year. I would say it is good news but they are trying to portray it as if JJ is going to struggle. Newsflash. JJ will have some struggles as all rookie QBs do. The Vikings are making the smart decision after spending the first round pick on JJ of letting him go through his struggles and giving him real snaps. I would say he needs two years minimum with my preference being three.

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Sam Darnold finally admits what we all knew after the unfortunate end to the Minnesota Vikings season

Quarterback Sam Darnold opened up about the end of the season with The Athletic, taking a lot of blame, and how he knows that he still has to prove himself.

“For lack of a better term, we laid an egg as an offense,” Darnold said in an interview with The Athletic following a minicamp practice last week. “And I think, for me personally, that sucks. I felt like we were a really good team, but at the end of the day — and this is gonna sound a little pessimistic — but when you get to the end of it and you don’t win the whole thing, you failed.

“I feel like I could have played way better, to be completely honest with you. I feel I didn’t play up to my standard. I truly feel that way. I feel like if I would have just played better, I would’ve been able to give the team a chance.”

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Five teams that won the NFL offseason: Will Bears, Raiders hype translate into wins?

No Vikings from my man Bucky. I think the Vikings did a pretty good job but maybe the lack of draft picks knocked them down Bucky’s list slightly./

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Interesting article that might provide a player or two that could be reclamation projects the Vikings sign next offseason. Kwesi does like home some reclamation projects.

Bust alert: Nine NFL players who are running out of time to prove themselves entering 2025 season

Travis Etienne

Season: 5th | Drafted: No. 25 (2021)

As you can see, the Jaguars are on trial in 2025. Etienne arrived 24 picks after Lawrence back in 2021, and his career has been equally volatile. A foot injury wiped out his entire rookie campaign, and while he rebounded excellently with a multipurpose 2022 breakout (1,400-plus total yards), the former Clemson star has averaged just 3.75 yards per carry since then. Counterpart Tank Bigsby was far more efficient the last time both backs saw the field, hence plenty of trade rumors regarding Etienne ahead of a contract year.

Lukas Van Ness

Season: 3rd | Drafted: No. 13 (2023)

Van Ness felt destined for the Green Bay Packers even before he landed in Lambeau, coming out of Iowa with a background in hockey, but he’s been more of an intriguing Midwestern story than a difference-making pass rusher so far. Nicknamed “Hercules” in college, he’s yet to make his first official NFL start, managing seven total sacks since 2023 as part of the club’s edge rotation. Coach Matt LaFleur indicated this summer Van Ness could also be deployed as an interior defender to help spark his impact.

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NFL Draft Stuff

2026 NFL Draft: One area every NFL team needs to think about

MINNESOTA VIKINGS: SAFETY ROOM

Franchise legend Harrison Smith is back for another season, but the 36-year-old may not be far from retirement. Josh Metellus will start next to him, but he is entering the final year of his contract before void years. Metellus also earned just a 52.2 PFF coverage grade last season. One or both might need to be replaced for 2026.

The Vikings have 2023 draft pick Jay Ward, who showed promise with an 89th-ranked 63.0 PFF overall grade in 2024, but they could look to make a major splash through a very good 2026 safety class.

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2026 NFL Draft: Ranking the top-50 prospects to watch this season, with Arch Manning leading the way

7 Offensive Tackles in the top 32. I love O’Neill but it is interesting that the Vikings have not extended him to lower his cap hits this year and next and to give him guaranteed money of which he has none remaining. Perhaps they will be looking to move on or the numbers exchanged do not align with the “time horizon”?

I think that safety could be high on the list next offseason.

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2026 NFL Draft: Highlighting positions of strength, weakness using PFF grades

OFFENSIVE TACKLE

Three offensive tackles already project to be first-rounders in 2026: Kadyn Proctor, Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano. Fano leads the way with an elite 93.0 PFF overall grade last season, powered by a 93.6 PFF run-blocking grade. He recorded a 21%-plus impact block rate while keeping his negatively graded run-block rate below 10%.

Proctor recorded a 72.4 PFF overall grade in his second season as Alabama’s left tackle, while Mauigoa earned a 71.7 mark as Miami’s right tackle. Both were five-star recruits in the 2023 class and are scheduled to be first-rounders due to their sky-high potential.

Strength or Weakness: Strength

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10 offensive linemen to know for the 2026 NFL Draft

Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)

Mauigoa has been starting at right tackle for the Hurricanes since his true freshman season. The former five-star recruit showed marked improvement as a pass blocker during his sophomore campaign, allowing just two combined sacks/hits on 534 pass-blocking snaps. He was the only FBS tackle with two or fewer knockdowns surrendered on 500-plus pass-blocking snaps.

Mauigoa’s 71.4 PFF run-blocking grade since 2023 also ties for fourth among ACC tackles. He still needs to refine his game, but he’s one of the favorites to be OT1 in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Spencer Fano, Utah

Fano led all FBS tackles with a 93.0 PFF overall grade this past season, mainly because of his dominance in the run game. The Utah native’s 93.6 PFF run-blocking grade was the best in the country by more than three points. He also finished as the second-most-valuable Power Four tackle, according to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric, trailing only top-10 draft pick Kelvin Banks Jr.

Fano is no slouch as a pass protector, either, earning a top-30 PFF pass-blocking grade among Power Four tackles (79.5). While some length concerns could make him a guard in the NFL, he’s still an elite athlete with dominant tape as just a true sophomore.

Gennings Dunker, Iowa

While losing superstar running back Kaleb Johnson to the NFL will undoubtedly hurt the Hawkeyes’ run game, they still have a road grader in Dunker to rely on.

Iowa’s right tackle earned a 90.2 PFF run-blocking grade this past season, ranking second only to Utah’s Spencer Fano among FBS tackles. His 90.2 PFF overall grade placed fifth in the nation, as well. Dunker’s seven big-time blocks (PFF’s highest-graded blocks) in 2024 tied with Fano for the third most among Power Four tackles. He’s a powerful player with the leg drive to pancake defenders.

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Yore Mock

Trade Recap

Minnesota Receives: 2026: Round 1, Pick 21, 2026: Round 4, Pick 121

Denver Receives: 2026: Round 1, Pick 18

…

21. Dillon Thieneman S Oregon 6’0” 207

Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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50. Gennings Dunker OT Iowa 6’5” 316

Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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82. Daylen Everette CB Georgia 6’1” 190

Photo by CFP/Getty Images

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97. Jonah Coleman RB Washington 5’9” 228

Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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118. Tim Keenan III DL Alabama 6’2” 325

Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

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121. Germie Bernard WR Alabama 6’1” 202

Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

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174. Isaiah Nwokobia S SMU 6’1” 202

Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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232. Isaiah Glasker LB BYU 6’5” 235

Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

https://kslsports.com/ncaa/byu-football/2026-nfl-draft-top-prospects/547121

The Big 12’s leader in tackles for loss last season, Isaiah Glasker, considered the NFL this past winter. But he’s running it back at BYU.

Glasker finished with 14.5 tackles for loss last year and led BYU in tackles with 70.

The size and athleticism of Glasker were a revelation last year. There were signs of his ability during spring and fall camps in previous years, but injuries and learning the linebacker position made it a slow launch. Last year, Glasker made everyone a believer.

A former wide receiver in high school, Glasker began his college career at safety before moving down into the box as a linebacker. He hasn’t looked back since.

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