Vikings Sign QB Matt Corral, End JJ McCarthy’s 2024 Season

The Minnesota Vikings were hit with a significant injury, as first-round pick and former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy injured his knee during preseason Week 1. After complaining of knee pain, it was revealed that McCarthy needed meniscus surgery.

Read more: Vikings QB JJ McCarthy Out for Entire 2024 NFL Season

The Vikings had to make a decision to either trim the meniscus or repair it completely. A trim would have led to McCarthy being out for weeks, while a repair would result in him missing months.

After weighing the options, the Vikings and McCarthy decided on a full meniscus repair, ending his 2024 season completely. Though McCarthy was engaged in a quarterback battle with longtime veteran Sam Darnold, Darnold will now be the starter moving forward.

McCarthy might have made it back at some point depending on the recovery time for the meniscus repair, but the Vikings have officially ended his season.

Adam Schefter reported that McCarthy was placed on season-ending injured reserve, officially ending his 2024 season. The Vikings also announced the signing of quarterback Matt Coral.

Corral has spent some time in the NFL, as he was initially drafted by the Carolina Panthers at No. 94 overall in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Though Corral was a hopeful developmental player, he suffered a Lisfranc injury in preseason, ending his 2022 season.

Corral was then set to rebound his career in 2023, but was waived by the Panthers in 2023 just days after he had made the 53-man roster. Corral was quickly picked up by the New England Patriots a day later and spent less than a month with the team before he was released for leaving the team’s facility without notice and not reporting in for two days.

Corral then made his way to the UFL, where he played for the Birmingham Stallions. He would appear in four games, starting three of them. In four games of action, Corral secured 494 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a had a passer rating of 81.0.

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Corral now joins a quarterback room for the Vikings that has Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall. Mullens is the clear QB2 right now, and it would likely be between Hall and Corral for the third and final quarterback spot.

Injuries can occur at any moment, so the Vikings made sure to bring in some depth in case another quarterback goes down. Though Corral does not have much NFL experience, he’ll provide much-needed depth to a thinning quarterbackk room.