Insider stops short of saying J.J. McCarthy is 'expected' to return in Week 9

Will he be healthy enough to start? Probably. Does that mean he will start? Maybe.

Sep 14, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) reacts after the game against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Carson Wentz will be under center when the Vikings take on the Chargers Thursday night, but who will be playing quarterback for Minnesota in the Week 9 showdown against the Detroit Lions?

J.J. McCarthy, out since Week 2 with a high ankle sprain, might finally be ready to return to the No. 1 QB spot. He's healthy enough that the Vikings have made him the emergency quarterback against the Eagles and Chargers, so barring a setback, one would imagine he'll be ready by Nov. 2.

Does Tom Pelissero "expect" McCarthy to take the starting job next week at Detroit?

"Expect might be a strong word, but certainly all the indications are pointing toward J.J. McCarthy being available for that game against the Lions," Pelissero said Thursday on KFAN's Power Trip Morning Show. "The bottom line is this: The way that you ruin a young quarterback is you put him on the field if he's not healthy or he's not prepared. J.J. McCarthy, at this point, is neither."

Pelissero noted how McCarthy hasn't practiced fully on consecutive days since before Minnesota's Week 2 game against the Falcons, which followed his three-touchdown fourth quarter that spurred the Vikings to victory in the season opener at Soldier Field in Chicago.

SI's Albert Breer reported Thursday that, "McCarthy told the staff that the high ankle sprain ... wasn't quite all the way back yet." According to Breer's reporting the Vikings staff decided at that point to take a cautious approach and hold McCarthy out one more week."

If McCarthy is deemed healthy enough to practice all of next week and play against the Lions, will Carson Wentz's performance Thursday night against the Chargers matter in the grand scheme of things?

"I don't know that we've seen anything to this point from Carson Wentz that makes you go, 'that guy's a clear upgrade over J.J. McCarthy. Boy, Carson Wentz is playing so well you can't pull him off the field,'" Pelissero said. "Carson Wentz, for better or worse, he's not the only reason they lost to the Eagles last week, but he's definitely a reason they lost to the Eagles last week."

Wentz has been up and down with Minnesota, including last Sunday against the Eagles when he threw two interceptions in the first half, while also overthrowing and underthrowing his targets routinely before finding a rhythm in the second half.

Breer also reported that, assuming he is prepared, the plan right now is that McCarthy starts against the Lions. The "expectation" of the Vikings' staff is that the extra 10 days of rest will be enough time to "have McCarthy ready" for the NFC North clash against the Lions.

McCarthy, whether the judging is fair or not, was graded poorly in seven of eight quarters in the two games he played. How much of that was bad quarterbacking and how much of it had to do with so many players around him being injured or suspended?

All of those questions will likely go into the answer the Vikings come up with when they face a dangerous Lions team in Detroit 10 days from now.