The Minnesota Vikings loved what they saw from rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy in his first preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Unfortunately, they received some bad news about his health status.

McCarthy is having to undergo surgery on his knee to repair his meniscus. It’s a setback for him to not get more reps during the preseason, but he will likely only miss an estimated four-to-six weeks.

Obviously, losing that time is not great for a young quarterback. However, it’s not worst-case scenario.

NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport detailed why the situation is not as bad as it could possibly get for McCarthy.

“This is someone who I know they believe in. This is someone that they want to see on the field at some point soon. But as you mentioned, it seemed to be tracking that Sam Darnold was going to be the starter anyway for the Vikings. So if their option is to go forward and make sure that McCarthy is 100 percent for next year, it’s not great but it may not be the worst-case scenario, either.”

There is a chance that his return timeline could change. HIs surgeon will have to decide whether a minor procedure where a small portion would be trimmed away or a full repair will be needed.

Being able to sit him for a season would be ideal. McCarthy looks like he could play immediately if needed, but he still has a lot of development ahead of him.

During his career in college with the Michigan Wolverines, he showcased an ability to win. However, his numbers weren’t the biggest of any college quarterback.

In 2023, he completed 72.3 percent of his pass attempts for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns, and four interceptions. He also picked up 202 yards and three scores on the ground.

Most importantly, he won and led Michigan to a National Championship last season.

Not only did McCarthy find success on the field, he was successful in the NIL marketplace as well. At the end of his career, he was ranked as the No. 10 NIL athlete in the nation with a valuation of $1.6 million.

Looking ahead to the future, McCarthy is the clear-cut franchise quarterback. He may not start in 2024, but he’s their long-term franchise player.

Suffering this injury was a tough blow, but it doesn’t impact the plans the Vikings had in place. He’ll likely sit the 2024 season barring an injury to Darnold or the veteran struggling in a big way and then will hit the ground running in 2025 as the expected starter.