Is J.J. McCarthy the NFL's biggest wild card in 2025? Plus, five sneaky-good games in the schedule release

Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. Today's installment covers:

• Five games you simply CANNOT overlook.

But first, a look at one of the most pivotal players in the 2025 season ...

Fresh off a 14-win season, the Minnesota Vikings should be considered title contenders with a deeper and more talented roster heading into the 2025 campaign. The team completely overhauled the interior offensive line with great additions in free agency (RG Will Fries and C Ryan Kelly) and the draft (first-round LG Donovan Jackson), while returning one of the best collections of weaponry in the league. Defensively, the Vikings added some trench warriors (DTs Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave) to a unit that suffocated opponents with a relentless, high-pressure approach last year.

With a pair of schematic wizards in Kevin O'Connell and Brian Flores pencil-whipping opponents with deft play designs, the Vikings should be considered among the top candidates to supplant the defending champion Eagles as NFC representatives in Super Bowl LX -- IF J.J. McCarthy can hit the ground running as the team's new QB1.

That's why the 10th overall pick from the 2024 NFL Draft could be the biggest wild card in the league in 2025.

McCarthy missed his entire rookie campaign after tearing the meniscus in his right knee during Minnesota's preseason opener last August. Now he steps in to replace Pro Bowler Sam Darnold as the leader of an offense that ranked ninth in scoring (25.4 points per game) and sixth in passing (237.8 yards per game) in 2024. If the second-year pro can take the baton and run with it, the Vikings could seriously contend for their first Lombardi Trophy. On the other hand, if the second-year pro struggles in his first real NFL action, the Vikes could take a substantial step back, especially given their challenging schedule and placement in the loaded NFC North.

In J.J.'s de facto debut season, the stakes are exceedingly high. And I believe he'll deliver. Though Darnold posted 13 games with a passer rating north of 100, I think McCarthy will be an upgrade over the journeyman as an athletic game manager with efficient production. Perhaps I am being a little bullish on a 22-year-old with somewhat-limited college experience (28 starts at Michigan) and zero regular-season snaps in the NFL, but the combination of McCarthy's game and O'Connell's scheming should enable Minnesota's offense to keep humming with the youngster under center.

Standing 6-foot-3 and 219 pounds with plus arm talent and athleticism, McCarthy expands the playbook with his skills as a mobile playmaker. He can operate within the pocket or on the move, allowing the Vikings to mix traditional dropbacks with bootlegs and movement-based passes to keep defenders guessing on the launch point. In addition, McCarthy's ability as a runner could enable Minnesota to dial up read-option plays in goal-line and short-yardage situations.

O'Connell has shown the ability to adapt and adjust to different quarterbacks, accentuating the strengths of each one. In his three years with Minnesota, KOC has impressively game-planned with Darnold, Kirk Cousins, Josh Dobbs, Nick Mullens and even Jaren Hall directing the offense. Since 2022, Vikings quarterbacks have combined to throw 95 touchdown passes against 46 interceptions under O'Connell's tutelage, with especially strong performances from Cousins (47:19 TD-to-INT ratio) and Darnold (35:12). McCarthy possesses more tools than any of the aforementioned signal-callers. Furthermore, J.J.'s poise, composure and management skills should make it easy for O'Connell to build a game plan that enables him to create big plays while mitigating risky turnovers, especially given the team's surrounding talent.

A stellar supporting cast has significantly boosted Minnesota's rotating cast of quarterbacks, with Justin Jefferson and Co. elevating each passer's play. The Vikings' perimeter weapons make the game easy for the quarterback, given their precise route-running ability and catch-and-run skills. In addition to Jefferson, who just earned first-team All-Pro honors for the second time in the past three seasons, Jordan Addison has emerged as an elite complementary wideout while T.J. Hockenson is one of the game's more productive tight ends. Not to mention, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah re-upped veteran RB Aaron Jones after his 1,138-yard debut in Minnesota. Add in an extremely promising offensive line -- especially with positive reports about stud left tackle Christian Darrisaw's recovery from knee surgery -- and the Vikings have enough firepower and protection around McCarthy to alleviate the pressure on him to carry the offense. The young quarterback needs to operate like a pass-first point guard directing an intricate half-court offense to thrive as the high-end game manager many envisioned when evaluating the former Michigan standout in last year's pre-draft process.

Though some will take the "high-end game manager" language as a dig at McCarthy's upside, it speaks to his winning pedigree and ego-free approach. McCarthy has already demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice individual stats for team success as a collegian (SEE: 27-1 record at Michigan with a national title), and that certainly made him an attractive prospect for evaluators who value "winners" at the position.

"I get asked a lot about what gives us the belief and confidence that J.J.'s going to continue to grow and develop and be ready to attack this thing with his teammates," O'Connell told a group of reporters earlier this week. "Unfortunately, he did lose his rookie year to injury, but he didn't lose that time with his teammates. He didn't lose that time in our building. He didn't lose that time continuing to become comfortable in our offense. But it goes back even beyond that year. It goes back to when we evaluated him coming out (of college), the traits that we've seen in him as a winner, playing the quarterback position for a really long time. There's a reason why we selected him, and the belief that we've had in him goes back even before making that selection. So, the belief just continues."

It's a small sample size, to be sure, but McCarthy flashed impressive skills as a rhythm passer in his lone preseason game last year. He dropped a series of dimes on in-breaking routes, showing superb timing and anticipation. This makes it easy to envision O'Connell building a call sheet with crossers and deep overs at intermediate range. In addition, McCarthy's athleticism on impromptu scrambles gives me Alex Smith vibes when thinking about how the Vikings can integrate the green QB's skill set into the playbook.

With a stout O-line to control the trenches, the Vikings can establish the ground game, creating big-play opportunities on play-action passes when opponents overreact to Jones, Jordan Mason and Co. splitting creases. In addition, the upgraded line could handle some of the pass-protection calls commonly assigned to the quarterback, lowering the stress on McCarthy at the line of scrimmage.

McCarthy's play will ultimately determine whether the 2025 Vikings reach their ceiling and make a serious run for a ring, but Minnesota has created a stellar environment for a first-time starter. Consequently, I believe this wild card will come up aces.

Schedule release: 5 sneaky-good games

After the initial hype of the NFL’s annual schedule release ebbed, I took some time to review the full 2025 regular season to see which games stand out as sneaky-good contests. While the prime-time slate always features compelling marquee matchups between the league’s heavyweights, some under-the-radar tilts also deserve attention. Here are five games you shouldn't overlook.