Vikings stick to process with McCarthy, as Darnold's presence keeps pressure off rookie QB

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The expectations and scrutiny that hound NFL quarterbacks drafted at the top of the first round is mere background noise for J.J. McCarthy in his first training camp with the Minnesota Vikings.

With the presence of Sam Darnold — and the environment they’ve put in place — the Vikings have made a point to keep the pressure off their prized prospect.

“I want a really competitive situation. Sam will be taking the majority of his reps with that first group, but I think you’ll see J.J. maybe get some as well,” coach Kevin O'Connell announced at the beginning of the week. “But also, it’s about the quality and the volume of those reps throughout camp to really continue to holistically attack this quarterback development program and process for J.J.”

With 56 starts in six seasons since he was the third overall pick in the 2018 draft by the New York Jets, Darnold has plenty of experience the Vikings can lean on in the transition from Kirk Cousins and their quest to maintain the potent passing attack fueled by superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Despite his 13-25 record with the Jets and failure to gain traction in his next stop with the Carolina Panthers, Darnold has an unquestionable dose of arm strength that has been on full display so far during camp with several deep connections with Jefferson and Jordan Addison.

With the caliber of players around him in the huddle and the acumen of the coaching staff in offensive strategy, there's ample reason to believe Darnold can be an effective starter. Perhaps even all season, giving the Vikings the benefit of a redshirt year of sorts for the 21-year-old.

“When the time comes, it comes," McCarthy said. "I’m just training every single day so that when that time does come, I’m going to be ready.”

O'Connell put it more succinctly: “Progress is the process.”

McCarthy was only the starter for Michigan for two seasons in a run-first offense, so there are a lot of repetitions for him to catch up on. He said he found it difficult to quickly and confidently recite the play calls on the spot during spring practice, making that his primary goal for training camp.

“I honestly feel like I’ve been here for a year already," McCarthy said.

On a steamy Saturday afternoon, the first practice open to the public at the TCO Performance Center where the Vikings have been headquartered since 2018, McCarthy shined in his turn on the red zone drill by tossing touchdown after touchdown including a crisp fade to Jalen Nailor in traffic.

Darnold is only signed for this upcoming season, after spending last year as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers, so it's not as though McCarthy's heralded arrival suddenly disrupted his outlook the way Cousins was jarred by the Atlanta Falcons taking Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick. McCarthy said he's looked up to Darnold for awhile.

“He’s just been nothing but great," McCarthy said. "He treats me like my little brother.”

Said Darnold: “Everyone learns together in the quarterback room. If I can take things from J.J. that he can teach me, I’ll gladly take it.”

Regardless of how Darnold fares and McCarthy develops, depth is not a concern with Nick Mullens still around as well. Despite his overarching limitations, Mullens amassed 1,110 passing yards over his three starts down the stretch last season.

The depth issue persists on the other side of the ball at cornerback, with Mekhi Blackmon's torn ACL during the first full-team practice on Wednesday the latest setback. Newcomer Shaquill Griffin suffered a soft-tissue injury in his left leg while intercepting a pass on Thursday and will be held out for at least a few more days. The Vikings are likely to sign another veteran soon, O'Connell said.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens throws during NFL football training camp Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Eagan, Minn. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell talks with the media during NFL football training camp Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Eagan, Minn.. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy drops back to throw a pass during NFL football training camp in Eagan, Minn., Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy throws a pass during NFL football training camp in Eagan, Minn., Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold drops back to throw during NFL football training camp in Eagan, Minn., Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold runs through drills during NFL football training camp in Eagan, Minn., Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Vikings quarter back Sam Darnold jogs on to the field during NFL football training camp in Eagan, Minn., Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy signs autographs for fans during NFL football training camp Saturday, July 27, 2024 in Eagan, Minn.. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Donald Trump's fourth scheduled stop in eight days in Wisconsin is a sign of his increased attention as Republicans fret about the former president's ability to match the Democrats' enthusiasm and turnout machine.

“In the political chatter class, they’re worried," said Brandon Scholz, a retired Republican strategist and longtime political observer in Wisconsin who voted for Trump in 2020 but said he is not voting for Trump or Democratic nominee Kamala Harris this year. “I think Republicans are right to be concerned.”

Trump's latest rally was planned for 2 p.m. Central time Sunday in Juneau in Dodge County, which he won in 2020 with 65% of the vote. Jack Yuds, chairman of the county Republican Party, said support for Trump is stronger in his part of the state than it was in 2016 or 2020. “I can’t keep signs in,” Yuds said. “They want everything he’s got. If it says Trump on it, you can sell it.”

Wisconsin is perennially tight in presidential elections but has gone for the Republicans just once in the past 40 years, when Trump won the state in 2016. A win in November could make it impossible for Harris to take the White House.

Trump won in 2016 over Democrat Hillary Clinton by fewer than 23,000 votes and lost to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 by just under 21,000 votes.

On Tuesday, Trump made his first-ever visit to Dane County, home to the liberal capital city of Madison, in an effort to turn out the Republican vote even in the state's Democratic strongholds. Dane is Wisconsin’s second most-populous and fastest-growing county; Biden received more than 75% of the vote four years ago.

“To win statewide you’ve got to have a 72-county strategy,” former Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, said at that event.

Trump’s campaign and outside groups supporting his candidacy have outspent Harris and her allies on advertising in Wisconsin, $35 million to $31 million, since she became a candidate on July 23, according to the media-tracking firm AdImpact.

Harris and outside groups supporting her candidacy had more advertising time reserved in Wisconsin from Oct. 1 through Nov. 5, more than $25 million compared with $20 million for Trump and his allies.

The Harris campaign has 50 offices across 43 counties with more than 250 staff in Wisconsin, said her spokesperson Timothy White. The Trump campaign said it has 40 offices in the state and dozens of staff.

Harris rallied supporters in Madison in September at an even that drew more than 10,000 people. On Thursday, she made an appeal to moderate and disgruntled conservatives by holding an event in Ripon, the birthplace of the Republican Party, along with former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, one of Trump’s most prominent Republican antagonists.

Harris and Trump are focusing on Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, the “blue wall” states that went for Trump in 2016 and flipped to Biden in the next election.

While Trump’s campaign is bullish on its chances in Pennsylvania as well as Sunbelt states, Wisconsin is seen as more of a challenge.

“Wisconsin, tough state,” said Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita, who worked on Republican Sen. Ron Johnson’s winning reelection campaign in 2022.

“I mean, look, that’s going to be a very tight — very, very tight, all the way to the end. But where we are organizationally now, comparative to where we were organizationally four years ago, I mean, it’s completely different,” LaCivita said.

He also cited Michigan as more of a challenge. “But again, these are states that Biden won and carried and so they’re going to be brawls all the way until the end and we’re not ceding any of that ground.”

The candidates are about even in Wisconsin, based on a series of polls that have shown little movement since Biden dropped out in late July. Those same polls also show high enthusiasm among both parties.

Mark Graul, who ran then-President George W. Bush’s 2004 campaign in Wisconsin, said the number of campaign visits speaks to Wisconsin’s decisive election role.

The key for both sides, he said, is persuading infrequent voters to turn out.

“Much more important, in my opinion, than rallies,” Graul said.

Associated Press writers Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, and Jill Colvin in Butler, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at a campaign event at Dane Manufacturing, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Waunakee, Wis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at Dane Manufacturing, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, in Waunakee, Wis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign event Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Prairie du Chien, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)