Getty J.J. McCarthy of the Michigan Wolverines.
This stage of the NFL offseason is filled with highlights and lowlights of padless practices — which Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell argued to not read too much into, especially when it comes to rookie J.J. McCarthy.
O’Connell encouraged McCarthy to be aggressive in his first practice as a process of trial and error. Adjusting to the heightened speed of the NFL, McCarthy needs to gain a feel for his passing windows and whether his fastball can get there in time.
McCarthy’s lone interception on Friday was an example of that. He threw a ball over the middle of the field that was intercepted by undrafted rookie linebacker K.J. Cloyd, who pointed at McCarthy afterward — part of some ongoing trash talk between the two before practice.
“I’ve got to stop talking smack because it always turns out, they win in the end,” McCarthy said, per The Star Tribune. “The splits were a little messed up; I obviously take full credit for the outcome of the play. But you know, just reading it outside in, I felt like I could fit in there and force it, but at this level, they’re a lot faster, a lot longer. It’s great to learn now, before the vets get here. Hopefully I won’t be in that situation anytime soon.”
All part of the process, according to O’Connell.
“I know some folks may be keeping track of completions and interceptions and things like that,” O’Connell joked after practice, calling rookie minicamps a “total learning environment.
“These guys tend to, when they’re not feeling the rush, they tend to be a little more aggressive with their arms, and I like that – trial and error – and we move on to the next rep.”
Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell Building Lessons From J.J. McCarthy’s Mistakes
GettyHead Coach Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
Rather than play a nervous and safe game under center, O’Connell has encouraged McCarthy to uncoil his arm this spring as he adjusts to playing the position at an NFL level.
This aggressive approach in minicamps has created an exciting environment for players on both sides, while McCarthy gets to test his decision-making outside the stressors of an NFL game.
“When an interception happens, you guys have heard me say it before – no interception ever has the same story. You know, there could have been too wide of alignment by that player he threw it to the start, and then so all we did was take away our angle to make the throw before the ball was ever snapped. It might have been a footwork thing; it might have been a total understanding of the full progression. So, he’ll see it on tape. ‘Hey, here was my answer,’ ” O’Connell said in a May 10 news conference. “It might not have been really exciting to chuck the ball down. Especially in the 7-on-7 environment.”
A first look at new #Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy on day one of rookie minicamp.
McCarthy said he’s been learning the offense for a while now. “It didn’t feel like my first day… it was nothing that was too overwhelming or too much.”
J.J. McCarthy Runs Sprints After Losing Bet to Vikings Rookie Defense
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy
Cloyd’s finger-pointing was part of a fun bet McCarthy made with the defenders during the first day of practice.
If three or fewer of McCarthy’s passes hit the ground during 7-on-7’s, the defense agreed to run gassers afterward. But if the number climbed to four or more, McCarthy would run.
McCarthy couldn’t hide the results of the bet.
“You guys saw, I was out there running,” he said followed by a chuckle.
Trevor Squire is a sports journalist covering the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Milwaukee Bucks. Trevor studied journalism at the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities, making stops at the Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @trevordsquire. More about Trevor Squire
