It’s Okay To Be Excited About J.J. McCarthy

On Saturday afternoon, nearly ten years to the day that the last quarterback the Minnesota Vikings used a first-round draft choice on made his rookie debut, Vikings fans got to witness the first snaps for the young man that fans of the purple hope will carry this franchise into the future.

After ceding the first series to veteran Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy got his opportunity to lead the Minnesota offense in the team’s preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. In what amounted to about a half of football, McCarthy went 11-of-17 for 188 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and an interception. Overall, the vibe seems to be one of excitement that the Vikings may have finally hit on a long-term…