Yes, Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is done for the year. His placement on injured reserve today, 11 days before the deadline for cutting the roster down to 53 players, clinches that he won’t — and can’t — come back.
Although the rules were tweaked this year to allow teams to place two players on IR and bring them back before the reduction of the roster to 53, the moves must be made on the day that rosters are cut to 53.
Making the move today prevents McCarthy from returning at all in 2024.
Given that the rules are new and can be a little complex, we asked the Vikings if McCarthy was indeed done for all of 2024. They said that he was, and he is.
So now it’s Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall and, probably through the next two preseason games, Matt Corral. The question then becomes whether the Vikings will carry two or three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, and whether they’ll have one or two (or any) on the practice squad.
However the numbers go, they won’t need to save a roster spot for J.J. McCarthy. No matter how quickly he might heal from a full repair of his meniscus, McCarthy will not be suiting up for the Vikings in 2024.