Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy took a hit to his injured right ankle during Thursday night's game.

Carson Wentz started yet again for the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Chargers, but J.J. McCarthy's potential return may not be far off.

The Minnesota Vikings are trying to get back above .500 against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night. They received excellent news on this front when they learned about running back Aaron Jones' potential return. Unfortunately, they can't yet say the same for their young quarterback, who was Minnesota's starter entering the 2025 season.

If McCarthy picks up where he left off and Minnesota’s season sputters to an uninspiring finish, everything will be in question for this team.

J.J. McCarthy, out since Week 2 with a high ankle sprain, might finally be ready to return to the No. 1 QB spot. He's healthy enough that the Vikings have made him the emergency quarterback against the Eagles and Chargers, so barring a setback, one would imagine he'll be ready by Nov. 2.

The Vikings aren't nearly as good as they were in 2024. While a playoff berth isn't out of the question, this isn't a Super Bowl team. They need to have enough data to make a decision about McCarthy, so that they can explore their options in 2026.

After watching J.J. McCarthy jump out of the way to avoid a sideline collision, Vikings fans are fed up with the QB's injury absence.

Minnesota’s expectation is that the extra rest it has given the former No. 1 pick will have him prepared to start against the Lions in Week 9.

The 37-10 defeat to the Chargers on Thursday was an organizational loss, from top to bottom, that sparked questions about the Vikings’ 2025 plan.