J.J. McCarthy stays on the Vikings 53 — and the injury story still doesn't add up. The Minnesota Vikings set their 53-man roster with J.J. McCarthy still on it, then spent Monday shuffling the edges. On The Real Forno Show, Tyler Forness and Dave Stefano unpacked the leak that McCarthy's ankle is suddenly "week to week," Ben Goessling's report that McCarthy himself chose not to play Friday, the Max Brosmer and Dillon Bell cuts, waiver claims of Trevor Keegan and Nick Samac, and a practice squad still taking shape.
Forness opened with the elephant in the room: he expected Minnesota to move on from McCarthy before the deadline. Then Adam Schefter said on Pat McAfee that the ankle is a multi-week injury — 10 days after the sprain, after McCarthy practiced fully Monday and Tuesday. "I don't buy it for a second," Forness said. "If it really was a multi-week injury… now we're calling it a week-to-week injury after he goes out and practices in full?" Stefano called a grade-one deltoid sprain "100% playable" and asked why sitting Friday or leaking "week to week" would help trade stock. Forness noted other backups (Quinn Ewers, Kyle McCord) already moved for sixth-rounders, and that waiting only shrinks the market. Goessling reported the sit-out was McCarthy's call, not the organization's. "It was him not being comfortable playing in the game," Forness quoted. "The whole thing just smells rotten."
Monday's moves were clearer. Minnesota claimed interior linemen Keegan and Samac after trading Walter Rouse, then waived Brosmer and Bell to make room. Forness said if McCarthy can't go Week 1, Kevin O'Connell will want a third active-roster quarterback because an emergency QB must be on the 53, not the practice squad. They also ran the rest of the roster: four tight ends with T.J. Hockenson in a contract year; Tyler Batty's torn ACL thinning the edge; Caleb Banks as a long-term "unicorn" pick, not a Year 1 finished product. "You drafted him for '27, '29, and '30," Forness said. "Trading him now would be incredibly shortsighted."
J.J. McCarthy saga: McCarthy practiced fully Monday and Tuesday before sitting out Wednesday. He chose not to play Friday's preseason finale despite the plan being for him to start the first half. Trade talks reportedly occurred but no deal materialized. Tyler expects a new quarterback added if McCarthy can't play Week 1.
Offensive line: The Vikings claimed Trevor Keegan (fourth-ranked PFF guard) and Nick Samac (top PFF preseason center), both with center versatility. Walter Rouse was traded for a sixth-round pick. Max Brosmer and Dillon Bell were waived.
#injury #bell
Forness opened with the elephant in the room: he expected Minnesota to move on from McCarthy before the deadline. Then Adam Schefter said on Pat McAfee that the ankle is a multi-week injury — 10 days after the sprain, after McCarthy practiced fully Monday and Tuesday. "I don't buy it for a second," Forness said. "If it really was a multi-week injury… now we're calling it a week-to-week injury after he goes out and practices in full?" Stefano called a grade-one deltoid sprain "100% playable" and asked why sitting Friday or leaking "week to week" would help trade stock. Forness noted other backups (Quinn Ewers, Kyle McCord) already moved for sixth-rounders, and that waiting only shrinks the market. Goessling reported the sit-out was McCarthy's call, not the organization's. "It was him not being comfortable playing in the game," Forness quoted. "The whole thing just smells rotten."
Monday's moves were clearer. Minnesota claimed interior linemen Keegan and Samac after trading Walter Rouse, then waived Brosmer and Bell to make room. Forness said if McCarthy can't go Week 1, Kevin O'Connell will want a third active-roster quarterback because an emergency QB must be on the 53, not the practice squad. They also ran the rest of the roster: four tight ends with T.J. Hockenson in a contract year; Tyler Batty's torn ACL thinning the edge; Caleb Banks as a long-term "unicorn" pick, not a Year 1 finished product. "You drafted him for '27, '29, and '30," Forness said. "Trading him now would be incredibly shortsighted."
J.J. McCarthy saga: McCarthy practiced fully Monday and Tuesday before sitting out Wednesday. He chose not to play Friday's preseason finale despite the plan being for him to start the first half. Trade talks reportedly occurred but no deal materialized. Tyler expects a new quarterback added if McCarthy can't play Week 1.
Offensive line: The Vikings claimed Trevor Keegan (fourth-ranked PFF guard) and Nick Samac (top PFF preseason center), both with center versatility. Walter Rouse was traded for a sixth-round pick. Max Brosmer and Dillon Bell were waived.
#injury #bell
13 days ago
