Vikings rookie McCarthy out indefinitely with torn meniscus

Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy will undergo surgery after tearing his right meniscus, the team announced Tuesday.

The No. 10 pick is sidelined indefinitely. How extensive his surgery is will determine how long he'll be sidelined, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. A recovery period for a meniscus trim is usually four-to-six weeks, notes NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

McCarthy - who played in Saturday's preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders - didn't practice Monday due to knee soreness and reportedly underwent an MRI on Monday night. He reacted to his injury on social media.

McCarthy threw an interception on his first drive in his preseason debut but bounced back later with a pair of touchdowns. The 21-year-old, who helped Michigan win the national title last season, was the fifth quarterback selected in April as part of a draft class that featured a record six QBs going in the first round.

In addition to McCarthy, the Vikings added Sam Darnold in the offseason after losing Kirk Cousins in free agency. Darnold started training camp ahead of McCarthy on the depth chart, but Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell left the door open for the first-year passer.

With McCarthy sidelined, Darnold is projected to be under center for the Vikings in Week 1 against the New York Giants on Sept. 8.

The third overall pick in 2018, Darnold has failed to meet expectations since entering the NFL. The 27-year-old began his career with the New York Jets (2018-2020) before spending time with the Carolina Panthers (2021-22) and San Francisco 49ers (2023).

Darnold owns a 21-35 record as a starter, having passed for 63 touchdowns against 56 interceptions throughout his career.

Injuries at quarterback were a big issue for the Vikings in 2023. The team started four different signal-callers en route to finishing last season with the 22nd-ranked offense in total points.