J.J. McCarthy has been out since Week 2 with a significant injury, specifically a high ankle sprain. After weeks of recovery, we finally have a clearer idea of when he’ll be back on the field. Minnesota Vikings Insider Ben Goessling and other reports suggest the most likely date for McCarthy’s return to the starting lineup is Week 9 against the Detroit Lions.

But there’s also been an improvement to that statement by preponing his return to week 7, as per recent postings on X by The Purple Persuasion, which quotes Ben’s words:

“So it seems like we are moving in the right direction there. The question there will be next week, with a short week, the Thursday night game with the Los Angeles Chargers, is he back for that one? Again, that may be one where the Lions game after the mini bye makes a little more sense.”

Well, this statement comes as the news of J.J. McCarthy returning to the fields as an emergency QB3 starts circulating online.

A post on X by Polymarket Football wrote the good news for the Vikings fans.

“JJ McCarthy will serve as emergency QB3 in Week 7.”

Being the emergency QB3 doesn’t mean he will have to play on the field, as he’s only available if the two quarterbacks ahead of him get hurt. Well, why is this point being emphasized? It’s because even though the team has made his return official for week 7. But the player himself revealed on Wednesday that he has not fully recovered, as he said,

“We’ve got to be smart here and understand there are a lot of things that go into play. And at the end of the day, I’m just going to do what I’m told and try to get better as fast as possible.”

The coach, Kevin O’Connell, also doesn’t want him to return to playing until he is completely recovered.

The Minnesota Vikings have picked up their starting QB 

The Minnesota Vikings have officially named veteran Carson Wentz as their starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Head Coach Kevin O’Connell made the decision based on this week’s practice reports. While J.J. McCarthy returned to the field after missing three games with a high ankle sprain, they listed him as a limited participant and JJ admitted his ankle is “not fully 100% yet.”

In contrast, Wentz was a full participant in practice this week, demonstrating he has recovered well from the non-throwing shoulder soreness he experienced in Week 5. This means Wentz will make his fourth straight start and lead the team coming out of their bye week. The matchup will be a high-interest reunion, as Wentz faces the team that drafted him second overall in 2016.

Carson Wentz has performed well while filling in, improving the Vikings’ record to 2-1 during his starts. His best moment was a late comeback victory against the Cleveland Browns in London, where he completed 9-for-9 passes for 71 yards, including a game-winning 12-yard touchdown to Jordan Addison in the final minute.

Meanwhile, J.J. McCarthy is eager to play in Sunday’s game but also recognizes that getting fully healthy is the most important goal right now.

Week 7’s game will decide the future for the two QBs and how they will proceed in the upcoming games. Stay tuned to get more information on the two players.