Richard Sherman doubts J.J. McCarthy after Vikings' comeback at Bears, questions letting Sam Darnold leave
The former NFL All-Pro wonders if McCarthy can sustain 'high-level' play for Minnesota
Former All-Pro NFL cornerback Richard Sherman is not convinced the Vikings made the right decision this offseason after choosing J.J. McCarthy over Sam Darnold, who led the franchise to a 14-3 record and playoff appearance last fall before signing with the Seahawks in free agency.
While Sherman acknowledged McCarthy's strong second half during Monday night's season-opening comeback win over the Bears, he double-downed on a previous take in the game directed at the Vikings opting to not re-sign Darnold.
"Not sure JJ McCarthy is the Answer in Minnesota. This is the danger of letting the guy who you had success with walk for a guy you 'think' can do the job at a high level," Sherman wrote on "X" after the quarterback's interception in the third quarter was returned for a touchdown.
Several users called out Sherman's take following the Vikings' comeback, including one fan who said "this aged well," which summoned an immediate response from the former Seahawks star defensive back.
"Going to age just fine," Sherman wrote.
Trailing 17-6 entering the fourth quarter, McCarthy led the Vikings on three touchdown drives. He tossed scoring passes to Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones to give his team the lead before finishing off the Bears with a 14-yard touchdown rush on third down on a zone read keeper with 2:53 to play.
Sherman later said "there isn't anything to be impressed about" and questioned McCarthy's ability to process despite having "arguably the best play caller in the NFL setting him up for success."
After the 2024 first-round pick missed last season with a knee injury, McCarthy finished with 168 total yards of offense in his first NFL start. Coach Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings put faith in the former Michigan standout and McCarthy delivered on the road.
McCarthy said after the game that O'Connell told him at halftime he would lead the team back to a victory.
"That guy is one of the best -- if not the best -- coaches, in my opinion, in the National Football League," McCarthy said. "Any kind of compliments or belief like that, it means the world. That just gave me the confidence to go out there and just execute the ball plays and have a fast arm and make quick, decisive decisions. And it worked out."
McCarthy finished 13 of 20 for 143 yards.
"We don't win this game unless J.J. plays the way he did in the second half," O'Connell said. "Most importantly, he kept the belief of this football team behind him, and now, we know it's possible. You hope to not be in these circumstances very often. But this team's made of the right stuff."
To Sherman's point, Darnold threw for 4,319 yards last season and 35 touchdowns in his only campaign with the Vikings. However, after signing a three-year, $100 million deal in Seattle this spring, Darnold was held to 150 yards and no touchdowns during Sunday's 17-13 home loss to the 49ers in his Seahawks debut.
Dodgers Predicted to Sign Top MLB Free Agent After 2025 Season
Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman
The Los Angeles Dodgers have notoriously been one of the top spenders in MLB for several years now. They showed that at the beginning of 2025, they signed many top free agents to improve their roster.
However, that has not led them to become the juggernaut team many analysts and executives thought they would be. Los Angeles is 79-64 and will likely not reach the 90-win mark with just 20 games left this regular season.
Whatever the Dodgers do in the postseason, one MLB Insider believes they will sign the top free agent after 2025.
Dodgers Predicted to Sign Kyle Tucker
The Chicago Cubs’ slugger is having a rough last two months of the season, but is still considered the top free agent.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale believes it will be to the Los Angeles Dodgers:
“Rival executives still believe he’ll be the highest-paid player in free agency,” Bob Nightengale reported Monday. “Their prediction where he’ll land? The Dodgers, who badly could use outfield help.”
The Dodgers could use outfield help, but signing Tucker to say, $400 million would put them far over the luxury tax. But it would address a much-needed positional issue. Los Angeles signed Michael Conforto to a one-year, $17 million deal before the season, and he has looked like a massive bust the entire season.
Conforto still isn’t above the .200 average mark, despite playing in 124 games. His OPS is 77, well below league average. The Dodgers also traded for left fielder Alex Call back in July, and he hasn’t had much production either. Signing Kyle Tucker in free agency is right up the Dodgers’ wheelhouse.
Although Tucker has struggled for the past few months, he’s still had a solid season. Kyle Tucker still has 22 home runs and an OPS+ of 140.
Kyle Tucker Has So Many Accolades As a Player
Bleacher Report recently came out with a prediction piece about Kyle Tucker’s free agency, and it showed how tenured he is as a player:
“After all, Tucker’s resume includes a World Series title, four All-Star selections, a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove. He led the league in RBI in 2023 when he was with the Houston Astros and has hit more than 20 home runs in each of the last five seasons. While he hasn’t been himself since the All-Star break with a .242 batting average, five home runs and 17 RBI, some of that can be explained by injury concerns. And he still has solid overall numbers this season with a .270/.381/.472 slash line, 22 home runs and 73 RBI. Tucker is also just 28 years old, which is another reason he will surely command a significant deal this offseason.”
The next question is how much the Dodgers would pay him, and that will be up to Tucker’s agent.
Fans of other MLB teams would not be happy with the Dodgers making a big-money signing like this, but it would put a lot of pressure on the Cubs to attempt to dish out a higher AAV contract. Tucker’s free agency will be one of the highest-anticipated events this offseason.
