Ex-Viking Cam Bynum heaps praise on J.J. McCarthy: 'He's different'

Bynum has full faith that McCarthy will be the guy to take the Vikings where they want to go in 2025 in beyond.

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) celebrates wide receiver Trent Sherfield Sr. (11) touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Count former Vikings safety Camryn Bynum among those who believes J.J. McCarthy has what it takes to be the franchise quarterback Minnesota has been looking for.

Bynum signed a big contract with the Colts this spring after four seasons with the Vikings. His final year wearing purple coincided with McCarthy's rookie season, which of course ended prematurely due to his August meniscus tear. In an interview with Kay Adams on Tuesday, Bynum noted how present the young QB was while he was sidelined — something that isn't always the case when a player has a season-ending injury.

"I know he's ready to go," Bynum said on Up & Adams. "The fact that he had a season-ending injury in preseason and we still saw him every day, that says something in itself. You can tear your meniscus and it be a full season injury and it's fine, it's normal to not see (that person) the rest of the year unless you go look in the training room at some random hour of the day and see him in there. The fact that he was still in meetings, he was still bothering us defensive players, asking 'what coverage were you guys in here, what would you guys do in this play in the game?' Those are the conversations that I had with J.J. going through the season, he's just coming up to me. Dude, it's November, and he's talking about next year like 'bro, I'm so ready for this offense.'

"Those conversations just told me that he's different. The fact that he's sitting here after a game in the locker room and we're talking ball and he still has his knee brace on and walking through, flipping a football in his hand, throwing passes to guys in the locker room. Like yeah, this guy, I don't wanna say he's weird, but he's different. That's my guy. That's somebody I respect and I know that he'll be able to get the job done. I think they're in good hands having him there. Regardless of what happens, I know he's gonna figure it out and thrive in any situation he'll be in."

GREAT JJ MCCARTHY STORY!!!

To the moooooooon!!!!!! #SKOL @jjmccarthy09 @Cambeezy_ pic.twitter.com/gXXuWLpGDA

— Kay Adams (@heykayadams) May 20, 2025

Bynum's answer aligns with what we've heard from other Vikings players and coaches, who have noted how involved McCarthy was last year and how many questions he asks to guys on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Everybody who's been around him seems to rave about him. That doesn't mean he's going to be a great quarterback, but it's absolutely a good sign.