The Minnesota Vikings will start Sam Darnold at quarterback for their first preseason game, then give rookie J.J. McCarthy his first chance to play in an NFL game.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell usually kept starters out of preseason games in his first two years, but he mentioned on Thursday that most of the healthy players on the roster will get some time in the game on Saturday against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium.
However, star wide receiver Justin Jefferson, veteran safety Harrison Smith, and tight end T.J. Hockenson, who is still recovering from a torn ACL and hasn’t practiced yet, will not play.
For the first time under O’Connell, the starting quarterback, Kirk Cousins, will participate in the preseason. He had not played in the previous two years.
Darnold won’t be able to connect with Jefferson during the game, but he will get valuable experience with the first-team offense.
McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the draft, will be the main focus. O’Connell didn’t specify how many series each quarterback will play, but he mentioned that Nick Mullens will not play, and second-year player Jaren Hall will see some action later in the game.
O’Connell is looking to see how the team performs and hopes to end their 10-game preseason losing streak. The last time the Vikings won a preseason game was against Arizona on Aug. 24, 2019, during Mike Zimmer’s sixth year as head coach.
With a tough start to the regular season ahead, including games against San Francisco, Houston, and Green Bay, O’Connell and his team have been working hard to get the Vikings as prepared as possible from the start.
The joint practices with Cleveland next week will be another important chance for preparation.
Right now, McCarthy is focused on seeing a more basic defense in the game, instead of the complex schemes he often faces from defensive coordinator Brian Flores in practice.
McCarthy wants to make sure that all the details and techniques he’s been working on show up during the game, especially when there’s noise and a crowd. He aims to perform at the level he’s trained for consistently.
Defensive lineman Jerry Tillery, who is listed as a starter in the team’s 3-4 defense with four defensive backs, is out due to a severe leg cut that needed stitches. Tillery, a 2019 first-round draft pick who played for the Raiders last season and joined the Vikings as a free agent, was injured during practice last week.
Another key defensive player, veteran cornerback Shaq Griffin, has been sidelined since early training camp due to a hamstring injury and is unlikely to play on Saturday.
Hockenson’s possible replacement for the start of the season, Robert Tonyan, has also been struggling with back spasms.
