What’s the Vikings depth chart after J.J. McCarthy’s injury?

The Vikings have three healthy quarterbacks on the roster and other positions thinned by injuries with less than a month before the Sept. 8 season opener at the New York Giants.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
August 14, 2024 at 10:48PM
Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy will miss the season because of a knee injury. (Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Before Wednesday’s surgery on Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, which determined he’ll miss the entire season after undergoing a full repair of a torn meniscus in his right knee, coach Kevin O’Connell said they’ll be evaluating the open market for an additional quarterback — at least for camp and the preseason.

“We’re going to take a look at it,” O’Connell said Tuesday. “We’ll obviously have Sam [Darnold], Nick [Mullens] and Jaren [Hall] ready to roll. And then as we move forward if we determine based on kind of the plans for either practice or the preseason games that might be something we need to do.”

So the below depth chart is not a final product, but a snapshot of where the Vikings stand after McCarthy’s rookie season is done. Second-year receiver Jordan Addison also went down with an apparent ankle injury in Wednesday’s practice in Cleveland.

Offense

Quarterbacks

Starter: Sam Darnold

Backups: Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall

Injured list: J.J. McCarthy

Running backs

Starter: Aaron Jones

Backups: Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, Myles Gaskin, DeWayne McBride

Fullbacks

Starter: C.J. Ham

Receivers

Starter: Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison

Backups: Jalen Nailor, Brandon Powell, Trent Sherfield Sr., Trishton Jackson, Jeshaun Jones, Lucky Jackson, Ty James, Thayer Thomas, Malik Knowles

Tight ends

Starter: T.J. Hockenson

Backups: Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Robert Tonyan, N’Keal Harry, Trey Knox, Nick Muse, Sammis Reyes

Left tackles

Starter: Christian Darrisaw

Backups: Walter Rouse, Jeremy Flax

Left guards

Starter: Blake Brandel

Backups: Michael Jurgens, Tyrese Robinson

Centers

Starter: Garrett Bradbury

Backups: Dan Feeney, Henry Byrd

Right guards

Starter: Ed Ingram

Backups: Dalton Risner, Spencer Rolland

Right tackles

Starter: Brian O’Neill

Backups: David Quessenberry, Doug Nester

Defense

Left outside linebacker

Starter: Jonathan Greenard

Backups: Pat Jones II, Gabriel Murphy, Owen Porter

Defensive end

Starter: Jerry Tillery

Backups: James Lynch, Levi Drake Rodriguez, Tyler Manoa

Nose tackle

Starter: Harrison Phillips

Backups: Jaquelin Roy, Taki Taimani

Defensive end

Starter: Jonathan Bullard

Backups: Jonah Williams, Jalen Redmond

Right outside linebacker

Starter: Andrew Van Ginkel

Backups: Dallas Turner, Jihad Ward

Inside linebackers

Starter: Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr.

Backups: Kamu Grugier-Hill, Brian Asamoah II, Dallas Gant, Jordan Kunaszyk

Cornerbacks

Starters: Byron Murphy Jr., Shaq Griffin

Backups: Fabian Moreau, Akayleb Evans, Nahshon Wright, A.J. Green III, Jacobi Francis

Safeties

Starters: Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum

Backups: Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, Lewis Cine

Specialists

Kicker

Starter: Will Reichard

Punter

Starter: Ryan Wright

Backups: Seth Vernon

Long snapper

Starter: Andrew DePaola

Kick returner

Starter: Kene Nwangwu

Backups: Ty Chandler, Brandon Powell

Punt returner

Starter: Brandon Powell

Backups: Jalen Nailor

about the writer

Andrew Krammer

Reporter

Andrew Krammer covers the Vikings for the Star Tribune, entering his sixth NFL season. From the Metrodome to U.S. Bank Stadium, he's reported on everything from Case Keenum's Minneapolis Miracle, the offensive line's kangaroo court to Adrian Peterson's suspension.

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