The Minnesota Vikings don’t need a spark. “They need a time machine.” At least, that’s how NFL insider Michael Silver described the state of the team’s quarterback situation. Sitting at 3-4, the Purple and Gold are searching for answers, not energy. And now, with JJ McCarthy fit again, things are about to get interesting.

According to reporter Michael Silver, the Vikings executives are having an interesting comparison. They feel rookie QB Max Brosmer could pull a Brock Purdy on McCarthy. “Internally, there have even been some comparisons with 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, a 2022 seventh-rounder who made Lance expendable after stepping in and performing well late in his rookie season.”

If you are still not getting it, then here is some context for you.

The 49ers had Jimmy Garoppolo, who took them to a Super Bowl but couldn’t finish the job. Then came the bold draft move: San Francisco traded up to the third overall pick and signed Trey Lance. The following year, the 49ers used their last pick in the draft on Brock Purdy. And soon after that, he took over the locker room. By 2023, the job was his, and Lance was out. And as Silver said, Vikings executives feel Brosmer could do something similar in Minnesota.

The situation only deepened when ESPN’s Kevin Seifert revealed that Carson Wentz had been playing through a torn labrum and fractured socket for the past three games. On Thursday against the Chargers, it was clear he was hurting, yet he stayed in the game, something that left fans wondering why the team didn’t pull him out sooner. Seifert explained that part of the hesitation came from uncertainty about rookie Max Brosmer. The team feared that giving Brosmer the reins might create even more quarterback chaos in Minnesota if he performed well.

“A person with knowledge of the Vikings’ thinking half-joked that O’Connell left Wentz in last Thursday’s game because Brosmer — who had a strong training camp and preseason — might prove a better short-term option than McCarthy,” Seifert wrote. “With Wentz done for the season, now is the time to find out who — if anyone — the Vikings can move forward with at quarterback.”

JJ McCarthy to start in Week 9

The Minnesota Vikings have been riding a rollercoaster all season. Quarterback changes, injuries, and inconsistency have defined their first eight weeks. J.J. McCarthy opened the year as the starter and gave the fans something to cheer about. But after just two games, an ankle injury sidelined him. Since then, it’s been Carson Wentz running the show for the Purple and Gold.

Now, that’s about to change. Reports say Kevin O’Connell will hand the reins back to McCarthy for Week 9. And his teammates are here for it. Ahead of their matchup against the Detroit Lions, Justin Jefferson shared how much it means to have McCarthy back leading the huddle.

“Looks good. Just going through the plays, going through the motions, dialing up the connection, and, of course, expanding the relationship that we have out there on the field. So it’s been great. I feel like he has the confidence to go out there and do what we expect him to do.”

“It’s just all about having that energy and thinking about one play at a time—not thinking about the big play, making the best play of the game, or being perfect throughout the game. It’s just all about taking one play at a time, leaning on everybody in the offense to go to work, and just lead us. And that’s pretty much the main message to him.”

Whether McCarthy’s return can spark life in the Vikings remains to be seen. But one thing is clear, O’Connell believes he can steady the ship.