Kevin O’Connell Reveals JJ McCarthy’s Unorthodox Week 7 Role
The Minnesota Vikings sit at 3-2 coming into week 7, after their week 6 bye post-London games, this time with a tough challenge in the Philadelphia Eagles, who are coming off a two-game losing streak against the Denver Broncos and New York Giants.
Whilst on paper the Vikings have one of the best rosters in the NFC – when healthy – the quarterback situation has been rather fluid since the season opening comeback win against the Chicago Bears.
First year starter and second year pro, JJ McCarthy, has been out with an injury since week 3, with Carson Wentz having filled in well in the former National Champion’s absence.
It was thought that McCarthy could return following the bye week, but according to Kevin O’Connell, via Adam Schefter, it will once again be the Carson Wentz show in Minneapolis this weekend.
With J.J. McCarthy still recovering from his high ankle sprain, the Vikings once again will start QB Carson Wentz, who spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/n9sW4mgmOb
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 17, 2025
“With J.J. McCarthy still recovering from his high ankle sprain,” Schefter reported on Friday, “the Vikings once again will start QB Carson Wentz, who spent the first five seasons of his NFL career with Philadelphia.”
JJ McCarthy Still To Have An Active Role Despite Persisting Injury
This would assume that McCarthy would remain inactive for week 7’s outing. However, he has instead been given an unusual role for a player still yet to fully return from injury, as Schefter explains.
Vikings QB Max Brosmer will serve as the backup for Carson Wentz against the Eagles and J.J. McCarthy will be the emergency 3rd QB. https://t.co/c7f1L7Dzfz
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 17, 2025
Schefter writes that McCarthy will serve as the fairly recent concoction of the “3rd emergency quarterback”, created after the San Francisco 49ers‘ playoff calamity against the Eagles in the 2022 NFC Championship game.
Undrafted free agent and highly-regarded prospect, Max Brosmer, will be the backup on Sunday.
More to follow…
Trevon Diggs’ Recurring Injuries and Underperformance Could Spell the End of His Time with Cowboys
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs lived up to his rising-star status as a second-round draft pick in 2020. He followed it up with a sensational second season, nabbing 11 interceptions to lead the NFL and earning first-team All-Pro honors in the process. His numbers dipped in 2022 as teams elected to not test him as often, yet he finished the season with his second straight Pro Bowl nod.
A massive $97 million contract extension came in 2023... and things have plummeted downhill ever since. But could the end of the road be just around this latest curve?
On Friday, the club declared him out of Week 7's divisional matchup with Washington due to his placement in the league's concussion protocol; that follows an at-home incident Thursday night.
While nothing more is known about what happened to Diggs, there's a general sense from Cowboys Nation that the star cornerback hasn't lived up to his contract and is quickly wearing out his welcome with his recurring unavailability.
Cowboys executive vice-president Stephen Jones had no comment on Diggs's concussion other than to tell 105.3 The Fan on Friday, "We certainly think [he'll be okay], but he's not going to play this weekend."
That's become a familiar refrain, as Diggs has been an increasingly frequent figure on the Cowboys' injury report over the past three seasons.
Even when Diggs has been back on the field, though, he's been barely a shadow of his former self.
Diggs tore his left ACL during practice on Sept. 21 of the 2023 season, after only two games. Since that date, he's appeared in just 17 out of the Cowboys' 39 contests (including playoffs), or 43.5%. And over those 17 games- the equivalent of one regular season- Diggs has exactly two interceptions and 11 passes defended, allowing opposing quarterbacks a completion percentage when targeted of 62%.
If the cornerback posting those numbers were named something other than Trevon Diggs, he likely wouldn't be starting... and he certainly wouldn't be making a very strong case for being the fourth-highest-paid guy (in cap hit) on the current roster.
Diggs is already seemingly on thin ice with the club. Fans will recall that the 27-year-old was docked $500,000 this summer for not meeting workout clauses in his contract, much to the very public chagrin of ownership. Diggs chose to train away from the team after complaints about his previous rehab efforts in 2023, which some inside the building suggested were half-hearted at best and a contributing factor to his subsequent 2024 knee injury.
And now this.
As Cowboys Wire pointed out in August, Diggs's guaranteed money runs out this season. And with myriad defensive issues that would seem to make a postseason berth a long shot for the current squad, the writing could be on the wall for Diggs's time in Dallas.
The league's Nov. 4 trade deadline could even have him in the express lane out of town if owner Jerry Jones happens to locate a willing trade partner before that date. The dealing of Diggs's best friend Micah Parsons already brought the Cowboys two first-round selections prior to opening night; if Jones can spin Diggs's surprise absence as even partly to blame for a 2-4-1 start and take a scintilla of the heat off his (apparently) hand-picked defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus, the fire sale could be on in Big D, and Diggs could be the first blue light special.
Such a move might even be hastened if second-year man Caelen Carson looks good in his expected return from injured reserve this week against Washington. Stephen Jones revealed that move was slated to occur even before news broke about Diggs's latest inactive stint.
