J.J. McCarthy “isn’t healthy”: Growing concern over Vikings QB’s return date

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy could be sidelined for several more weeks due to the high ankle sprain he suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, “multiple sources” have told her the 22-year-old “isn’t healthy” and raised concerns that his possible return could be later than the Week 7 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, which had initially been considered the worst-case scenario.

Vikings taking cautious McCarthy approach

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has emphasized that McCarthy will not be rushed back and will only return after completing a full week of practice.

On Friday, O’Connell addressed the possibility of McCarthy playing in the Week 5 matchup against the Cleveland Browns in London, suggesting there was never a realistic chance of him participating in this weekend’s game.

“My hope was to try to get him some work during individual [drills], but with the weather and the tight field space — we’re working on a 100-yard field — we wanted to be smart with that,” O’Connell said. “But very much looking forward to spending some time with him next week and see where he is at coming out of the bye.”

Bye week offers McCarthy extra recovery time

The good news for Minnesota is that they have a bye in Week 6, giving them a two-week break before their next game against the Eagles.

The bad news, as highlighted by Russini’s report, is that there is no guarantee McCarthy will be fit to return in Week 7, meaning his injury absence could be longer than initially expected.

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