Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy selected as a captain by teammates in his first year under center

The Vikings announced eight team captains Thursday, and quarterback J.J. McCarthy made the group ahead of his first regular season on the field and under center.

With him will be wide receiver Justin Jefferson, safety Harrison Smith, running back Aaron Jones, long snapper Andrew DePaola, safety Josh Metellus, outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard and right tackle Brian O’Neill.

Captains were voted on Wednesday by players. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said he believed 28 players received votes. The team also has a leadership group in addition to captains that O’Connell meets with regularly.

Since he started making his return to the field this spring from a 2024 knee injury, McCarthy has been praised by teammates and coaches alike for his leadership, maturity and poise.

“I think they’ve just seen a guy that works,” O’Connell said of McCarthy being elected. “You guys have heard me talk about some of the unique kind of personality traits and qualities that he has that I think bodes really well in the leadership department in an NFL locker room and on an offense with a lot of veterans.”

Veteran quarterback Carson Wentz spoke for the first time since he signed with the Vikings on Sunday morning after camp backup Sam Howell was traded to the Eagles.

“It happened pretty quick,” Wentz said. “I was obviously at home for all of camp, all of offseason just kind of waiting for the right thing. This worked out. When they called, I was very excited about the opportunity to come in and help in any way. In any way I could. Not gonna lie, it beats sitting on the couch.”

The 32-year-old said he didn’t expect to be without a team for several months after opting to be a free agent this spring, but was “working out, staying ready all offseason,” and cherishing the added family — and golf — time.

He declined to say whether the Vikings expressed interest in him during free agency in March. They did not make their move to acquire Howell until during the draft in late April, and only had McCarthy and since-cut Brett Rypien on the roster at the time.

“There was a lot of things moving and shaking ... just excited to be here now,” Wentz said.

Smith, who’s been absent from practices open to media since Aug. 11, is in recovery from a personal health matter and will be evaluated on a weekly basis, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

The team did not place him on injured reserve when the 53-man roster was set Tuesday.

Ham, the 10th-year veteran, has been out since mid-training camp; his injury had not been disclosed previously. Batty left the Vikings’ preseason finale loss to the Titans with his injury.

The first official injury report for Week 1’s “Monday Night Football” opener against the Bears will be released Sept. 4.

The Vikings added a safety, K’Von Wallace, to their practice squad Thursday. They had one spot left because they signed Italian offensive lineman Max Pircher, a player in the International Player Pathway program, on Wednesday. A fourth-round pick in 2020 by the Eagles, Wallace spent last season with the Seahawks. He has 19 career NFL starts, most recently in 2023 with the Titans.

Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah seemed to indicate the organization is satisfied with its current cornerback group, which features just six players between the active roster and practice squad.

The group was whittled down to Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, Jeff Okudah and Dwight McGlothern on the active roster after Tuesday’s cuts.

“We look at that group with that versatility,” Adofo-Mensah said, mentioning the team’s ability to play big nickel and other non-base formations. “We’ll always be mindful throughout the season to look at different opportunities.”