With the rumors around the injury to Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the most recent news could signal a return to action after the bye week. In the latest injury update on the Vikings quarterback, he will return to the practice field along with other key players on the offensive line, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN.
“Vikings will open LB Blake Cashman's 21-day IR return window today. Per Kevin O'Connell, the Vikings will also have QB J.J. McCarthy, C Michael Jurgens, LG Donovan Jackson, and RT Brian O'Neill back on the practice field this week in various capacities. Bonus practice today,” Seifert wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
When head coach Kevin O'Connell was asked by Seifert about McCarthy being back against the Eagles next Sunday, he said, “he's not ready to project” the status of the 22-year-old.
“Asked about the possibility of J.J. McCarthy back vs. Eagles, Kevin O'Connell says he's not ready to project where he might be by the end of the week. Carson Wentz (left shoulder) will practice this week,” Seifert wrote. “KOC in part: ‘We've got to prepare to try to win a game on Sunday.'”
More on the ankle injury to Vikings' J.J. McCarthy
As McCarthy has been watching Carson Wentz fill in for the Vikings in his absence in the last two games, there's no denying that the bye week came at the right time for the young quarterback to heal. NFL insider Tom Pelissero would say on Sunday that McCarthy “got good work during the bye week” and that a return to practice was likely, though the ankle injury “is still not 100 percent.”
“JJ McCarthy, I'm told, got good work during the bye week,” Pelissero said on NFL Network. “He should be able to return to practice this week. However, McCarthy is still not 100 percent on his ankle. They gotta see his mobility, they gotta see how the ankle responds. They gotta make he's comfortable and in a groove from an operational perspective before they put him back out on the field.”
From @NFLGameDay: The #Commanders could get WR Terry McLaurin (quad) back next week, while the #Vikings QB situation is murky coming off their bye. @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/14W4BSxcZl
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 12, 2025
It remains to be seen if McCarthy will return for next Sunday's contest against the Eagles, as he's only played two games this season, totaling 301 yards to go along with two touchdowns and three interceptions. With Wentz under center, the team is now at a 3-2 record ahead of the upcoming outing, where they face Philadelphia.
