Simms’ 2026 QB Countdown: J.J. McCarthy
Chris Simms breaks down why J.J. McCarthy is No. 37 on his 2026 quarterback countdown, diving into how the former Michigan Wolverine has all of the tools to be a top quarterback but has yet to piece everything together.
Video Transcript
This guy that we're gonna talk about right here, I think there's still a high ceiling Number 37, J.J. McCarthy is J.J. McCarthy.
But can we get there?
You know?
N- you know, d- Pete at the top here goes, "The narrative that J.J. is a bust already.
Is that fair?"
No, it's not fair.
It, it's too early to tell.
Now, are there things to work on?
Without a doubt.
We know that.
There's no doubt.
But when you talk about the physical ability with J.J. McCarthy, that is starting caliber, "I can be in the top half of the league" type talent.
His arm is, it's powerful.
It's explosive.
He can make wow throws and fit the ball into a tight window, right?
The athleticism's pretty damn good, too.
I do think, you know, he's got the charisma to be a starting quarterback on top of that.
But within all of that, he's gotta become a better passer.
Yeah.
That's the big thing.
One, he waits to see it too often, right?
It's gotta come open, and then he tries to throw it.
And there's gotta be a little anticipation.
And as we talked about during the year, there's gotta be a more of a variety of throws.
He, really only throws the ball one way.
It's hard or harder.
That's all it is.
There's no pitching wedge in the bag, as they say.
There, there's really not.
Yeah.
There's very few touch throws.
You know, you don't see off platform, sidearm throws, right?
He can have a, he can have an elongated motion, too, which allows people to get hands up in the passing lane or break on his balls.
Or, or his, you know, his balls at times, which doesn't come out of your mouth the right way there.
Break on his balls.
Break on his balls.
but b- break on the throws, I should say.
Because it is a little bit of elongated and he lets the arm drop, and you can really see it.
And it gets longer when he really tries to throw with, you know, some pace, and really fire it.
So that's the thing.
But yes, it's too much of the same throw.
That's the big thing with him.
We talk about the layered throws or drop it in the bucket or just the little flick of the wrist at times.
You see some of it, but not enough of what's needed for a quarterback in 2026.
So obviously- Yeah Kyler Murray's gonna be on this list.
Yeah.
And obviously Kyler Murray's gonna be higher on this list.
Yes, he is.
Where does this thing go if Kyler wins the quarterback competition?
Because it's, it's easier to start with J.J. and then yank him- Yeah and put Kyler in.
Mm-hmm.
But it's also not that easy, because the Vikings can't start off slow.
No.
They gotta just go with the guy that's the best one.
It's, that's where we're at already.
That's where we're at.
Right?
Yeah.
There's no like, "Eh, he's close enough that we gotta give it to him 'cause he's young."
Yeah.
Also, the GM that drafted him has been fired.
Exactly right.
And you know, we don't know the optics- Sure, right, right of really what went on there behind the scenes there, right?
But yeah, no, I think you, you're gotta go with your guy.
And even if they do go with Kyler Murray, it's not gonna be the end of J.J. McCarthy, and we know Kyler Murray gets hurt, so he's, there's a good chance J.J. McCarthy could get in there, too.
Now, J.J. McCarthy and his ability to stay healthy and not hold the ball at times and take big hits, that's another part of his game he's gotta get better at.
And within that, continue to keep a little muscle and thickness on his body.
I mean, yeah, I have a hard time sitting here going, you know, yeah, are some of the reasons he gets hurt because he's skinny and frail-ish as, for, for a modern-day NFL quarterback?
No doubt.
You know that.
Right.
I mean, at the end of the rookie year, I mean, there's no question the Vikings were concerned because he was so skinny and frail.
They were worried about what he would be in year two.
Now, he got back on the right track that way.
But yeah, he's a guy that has a little experience, but he played in a basic offense at college.
And then because he basically got hurt his rookie year and then didn't get to play, he's still kind of a rookie who hasn't played a lot and had a lot of variety in offense.
So we're still kind of like overcoming some of that experience and just getting on the field and making different throws and everything there.
So that's not there, and that's where Kyler Murray, of course, is gonna have a little advantage 'cause he does have a little more experience, and Kyler Murray does have that great athleticism avail- ability as well.
and both can throw lasers.
But yeah, I ha- Kyler Murray ranked in front of J.J. McCarthy right now.
The Vikings are one of the most interesting teams this summer because every single rep will be covered between these two in camp like it's, the entire world is on their shoulders.
Yes, yes.
It's, it's, it's, it's a real quarterback competition, which you don't always see.
And I think it's going to be fair about, like, who, who outperforms who.
And yeah, within that, you know, J.J.'s gotta be a little bit better seeing the field.
He is one of those guys that we see a lot of the times, 'cause his arm, like I said, it's powerful.
He t- at times just thinks he can fit balls into windows where you just go, "That, that's, don't do that.
That's, that's not worth trying to fit in there, that one."
And so that's where he lost his way with turning the ball over at times as well.
So health, keeping yourself out of harm's way, getting the ball out of your hands, not taking big hits, and then the continued progression of being a better passer.
He's gotta be a more complete passer.
He's like the guy you've heard me say in the past.
He's, he's a great thrower, but you gotta be a passer- Sure and there's a difference in that.
Throwing's just, huh, laser, laser.
I can throw it hard.
I can spin it.
It's a spiral.
I'm the man.
Passing is, you know, hey, you sometimes you got, gotta be like Drew Brees at times.
Ooh, it's a rhythm throw over the middle, right up here.
It can't just always be the throw the laser, throw the laser, throw the laser.
That's not gonna get it done in the NFL
