The men leading the Minnesota Vikings' operations don't sound ready to give up on quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but neither are they speaking like they're satisfied at the position.

Both head coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah talked Tuesday about fomenting competition in the quarterback room this offseason.

"I definitely want a competitive situation in that room because I ultimately think that's what will make not only the starter, but the next guy and the next guy, and we've learned that we've gotta get a lot of guys ready to play and we've gotta do it with a responsibility of being the best version of our offense and the quarterback has a huge role in helping us do that," O'Connell said.

No matter how you slice it, McCarthy's first season as starter was a disappointment. Among quarterbacks who entered the season as a starter, only one — the Tennessee Titans' Cam Ward — finished with a lower EPA per play, according to Sumer Sports. He also finished near the bottom in QBR. In 10 starts, he threw just 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions, while completing 57.6% of his passes.

Still, both O'Connell and Adofo-Mensah mentioned McCarthy's improvement over the season. They hope to help him continue that growth, even if they look at other options before next season.

"The 10 games of inventory we do have, there was some real improvement of decisive decisions in the rhythm of an NFL snap, which, as we talked about with the pass rush earlier, needs to be something that you're able to process and do quickly, and he showed some real moments of that," O'Connell said.

"Obviously, the season just ended, so we're focusing on obviously the people that we have in the building first and how J.J. — how he's matured and how he's done, gone on through the season," Adofo-Mensah said. "You talk about his first six games and how they went, but the last four games, great increases in completion percentage, touchdown and interception, four wins obviously and different things like that. Playing up in the pocket. All the different things that we talked about him improving, we're trying to make sure that we set the table for that first, start there and then kind of use that mindset to fill out the rest of the room."

Injuries have marred McCarthy's young career — as O'Connell mentioned Tuesday, he's missed 24 of 34 possible career games. Even if the Vikings believe McCarthy has the talent to be a top-tier QB, his injury history necessitates a reliable backup. In addition, the multiple injuries have waylaid his development. O'Connell lamented the lost starts, saying that while McCarthy has had plenty of time on the field at practice and in scrimmages, "nothing can really compare to actual regular season game action."

"It did feel like some time lost on some of those things we were trying to let the concrete dry on," O'Connell said.

The head coach stressed the need for patience, as he often has.

"We're still looking at a quarterback who's started 10 games. Ten out of, what, a possible 34 in two years? Not the ideal path for a young quarterback to develop on the field," he said. "But I thought he did. I thought he did some really good things."

Ultimately, the Vikings' brass seems clear-eyed about the crossroads at which they find themselves: a team with the pieces to win games and a quarterback who may not be quite ready to lead those pieces.

"Ultimately, we're comfortable with where we are and we're excited about where [McCarthy] can go," Adofo-Mensah said. "I know that he wants it more than anybody I've ever been around. And he's got an offseason where he's gonna have time to not rehab an injury, and so we're excited to see what development he takes and really the steps he takes toward being available for us."

"J.J. McCarthy is a guy that wants to be great. I know he's gonna work tirelessly to do that," O'Connell said. "I know his teammates have a lot of confidence in what he's gonna go to work to improve on this offseason and come back and have a great offseason and be ready to hit the ground running in 2026. But I think a deep and talented quarterback room will only enhance his ability to do that, and look forward to being a part of that process.