The Chicago Bears know they have a tall order ahead of them in 2024 due to the NFC North division. It appears to be among the strongest in the NFL. Detroit and Green Bay were in the playoffs. Minnesota still has a strong roster and appears to have addressed their big issue at quarterback with the selection of J.J. McCarthy in the 1st round. He even offered some hope with a solid showing in his preseason debut. Unfortunately, fate seems to have other plans.
Word broke this morning that the rookie returned to the Vikings’ facility complaining of knee soreness. Further tests revealed unwelcome news: McCarthy has a torn meniscus and will require surgery. This is a brutal blow to a team that was feeling so optimistic despite losing Kirk Cousins to free agency in March. Now, they must reassess their timeline for his development.
The Chicago Bears can only be grateful it’s not them.
Caleb Williams made it through his preseason debut without a scratch. Injuries have been a fact of life at quarterback for this franchise for years. Only three players have managed to start a full season without missing time since 1990. One can only hope Williams joins that list. This McCarthy injury validated many of the concerns people had about him before the draft. At 202 lbs, they felt he was too light, making him more susceptible to injuries. Sure enough, he tears his meniscus in his first game action. Minnesota will likely forge ahead with veteran Sam Darnold. All anybody can do is wait to see how bad the damage is. A full tear means McCarthy could miss 6-9 months. That means the Chicago Bears wouldn’t see him until 2025.
