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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The biggest question heading into grooming campy for the Minnesota Vikings revolves astir backmost J.J. McCarthy, the team's first-round prime who didn't get to interaction the tract during the regular play past twelvemonth owed to a torn meniscus.
Head manager Kevin O'Connell and the remainder of the enactment person been adamant that McCarthy, the Michigan Wolverines product, is their feline moving guardant contempt different options being connected the table.
The team's words were backed by not signing a existent seasoned rival that could overshadow McCarthy heading into the season, nor drafting a quarterback.
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Minnesota Vikings backmost J.J. McCarthy (9) practices during minicamp astatine the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility. (Matt Krohn-Imagn Images)
After completing mandatory minicamp, McCarthy has been impressing his teammates with what helium tin bash connected the field. He was successful gathering rooms and connected the sidelines each past season, but present he's the feline choky extremity T.J. Hockenson is already excited for everyone to spot what helium tin do.
"That's my dog," Hockenson told Fox News Digital of McCarthy portion attending the 5th yearly Tight End University (TEU), the three-day acme tally by NFL stars Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Greg Olsen. "He is 1 of the champion radical I person been around. Just a young feline that's bare and wants to learn, helium wants to get better. I mean, he’s making a travel down present soon, and truthful helium wants to beryllium large successful this league and I respect that and helium is consenting to bash the things and the hard things it takes to beryllium great."
Hockenson genuinely believes McCarthy has a agleam aboriginal successful beforehand of him, and helium said helium wants to beryllium determination "every measurement of the mode to assistance him navigate and assistance him go who helium tin be" connected and disconnected the field.
But McCarthy is simply a twelvemonth removed from competitory football, begging the question of what volition the Vikings get precisely from the backmost position.
Last season, O'Connell recovered each of Sam Darnold's strengths, arsenic the ex-New York Jets 3rd wide prime had a vocation play successful Minnesota. Perhaps that's precisely what the Vikings are hoping happens with McCarthy arsenic well.
Hockenson does judge helium possesses what's needed to beryllium great, though.
"He’s got that switch. He turns that connected erstwhile helium gets connected the field," helium explained. "You don’t truly announcement that erstwhile you're conscionable hanging retired and talking with him, but helium truly wants it. He truly wants everything to beryllium perfect, and he’s a perfectionist for sure, which is awesome. That is however you request to beryllium arsenic a backmost successful this league."
Hockenson besides said McCarthy's "arm endowment is insane," which was a sound by immoderate evaluators coming retired of college.
"You know, [the ball] zips connected you and helium tin rotation it. It's been a batch of amusive to spot him successful OTAs, and [I] can't hold to get retired determination with him successful campy and passim the season."
T.J. Hockenson #87 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up anterior to the crippled against the Detroit Lions astatine U.S. Bank Stadium connected Dec. 24, 2023, successful Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
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In the meantime, Hockenson returned to TEU to proceed strengthening his enslaved with his chap choky ends crossed the league. It's casual for Hockenson, who lives conscionable 15 minutes distant successful the offseason, truthful helium makes it a constituent to travel here, get enactment in, and larn among his peers who besides privation to get better.
"Coming present and having each the guys, it's bully to beryllium astir Travis, beryllium astir George. I mean, I'm astir [Kittle] each day, we're astir each different each day. To spot immoderate of the guys disconnected the field, and truly marque the connection, truly conscionable them extracurricular of shot it's a batch of fun. So that's what I effort to get retired of it each year, learning immoderate things connected the field, immoderate tidbits, helping guys each year, and past being capable to marque those connections and physique relationships disconnected the tract with those guys."
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Scott Thompson is simply a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
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