NFL Player News

Darnold is poised to start the Vikings' Sept. 8 season opener versus the Giants and could remain atop the depth chart at quarterback for the entire 2024 campaign after 10th overall pick J.J. McCarthy (knee) underwent season-ending meniscus surgery Wednesday, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.

Darnold will continue dominating first-team reps while Nick Mullens moves up to the No. 2 role. The team may also consider signing another quarterback, but if Darnold is able to competently command the offense, he now has a clear path to a season-long starting gig. While he's mostly struggled throughout his career and has never played more than 13 games in a season, Darnold will have a strong supporting cast at his disposal in Minnesota. Justin Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in the league, Jordan Addison (ankle) is primed to build upon a 911-yard, 10-touchdown rookie campaign, and tight end T.J. Hockenson (knee) should eventually provide the quarterback with a third talented pass-catching option. However, the Vikings offense could be somewhat limited if Addison is suspended for his offseason DUI arrest and/or Hockenson's recovery from an ACL tear stretches into the later portion of the regular season. Even with those concerns, it's a better situation than Darnold ever had during his time as a starter with the Jets and Panthers, making him a fantasy option for two-quarterback and superflex leagues, if nothing else.

Pratt will follow Sean Clifford on Sunday against the Broncos, Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated reports.

Pratt and Clifford will continue their competition for the backup job to starter Jordan Love in the Packers' second preseason game. The former completed five of seven passes for 46 yards against the Browns last Saturday.

Clifford will start Sunday's game against the Broncos, according to head coach Matt LaFleur, Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated reports.

Clifford will be followed by Michael Pratt with Jordan Love set to get the night off. The Penn State product completed 10 of 19 pass attempts for 111 yards in a 23-10 win over the Browns on Saturday.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell announced that McCarthy underwent season-ending surgery Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

The Vikings had some hope that the rookie No. 10 overall pick would only need his meniscus trimmed, an operation that would've allowed him to return in 2024. Instead, surgeons ended up doing a full repair of the meniscus, likely leaving McCarthy with a recovery timeline of 4-to-6 months. With McCarthy's rookie season now completely wiped out, Sam Darnold is set to start Week 1 for the Vikings and potentially hold down the top spot on the depth chart throughout the season. Minnesota could look to upgrade its depth at the position behind Darnold, with journeyman Nick Mullens and second-year quarterback Jaren Hall currently ranking as the Nos. 2 and 3 options, respectively.

Prescott (ankle) will be a full participant in Wednesday's joint practice with the Rams, Jon Machota of The Athletic reports.

Prescott was given a precautionary day off last Friday due to ankle soreness, but the issue is no longer hampering him. If the Cowboys elect to play key starters during Saturday's preseason game against the Raiders, Prescott should be in line to play after having sat out the team's exhibition opener against the Rams. Prescott is still working without star wideout CeeDee Lamb at practice, as the No. 1 receiver remains away from team activities amid an ongoing contract dispute.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday that Hooker (concussion) has "a good chance to play" in Saturday's preseason contest against the Chiefs, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.

Hooker suffered a concussion during Detroit's preseason opener, but he looks to be on track for a return during the team's second exhibition contest. The 2023 third-round pick, who didn't log any game reps as a rookie, completed five of nine pass attempts for 39 yards versus the Giants last week. He also rushed four times for 39 yards but suffered the head injury due to a hit while scrambling. Nate Sudfeld started versus New York and appears to be in the lead for the backup spot behind Jared Goff, but Hooker still has time to impress before Detroit's regular-season opener against the Rams on Sept. 8.

Dalton (quadriceps) returned to practice Wednesday, David Newton of ESPN.com Reports.

Dalton injured his quad Aug. 1 and was expected to need a couple of weeks to recover. The veteran quarterback should have a firm grasp on the Panthers' backup job to starter Bryce Young.

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that Love isn't expected to play in Sunday's preseason game against the Broncos, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reports.

LaFleur noted that he's planning to start Sean Clifford, then use rookie Michael Pratt as the second quarterback. Love played one drive in a 23-10 exhibition win over Cleveland on Saturday, connecting with Dontayvion Wicks for a 65-yard touchdown on the third snap of the game.

Wolford remains in a close competition with Kyle Trask for the No. 2 quarterback job, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.

Wolford was the presumptive No. 3 quarterback heading into the Buccaneers' first preseason contest, but the veteran journeyman played well during the second half of the exhibition win over the Bengals on Saturday night. Wolford spent time on the Buccaneers' practice squad in 2023, but with both him and Trask starting from scratch in new coordinator Liam Coen's scheme this offseason, it seems Wolford is doing enough to give himself a chance at the primary backup job.

Head coach Todd Bowles said Monday that Trask and John Wolford are still in competition for the No. 2 quarterback job, Scott Smith of the team's official site reports.

Trask has been the presumptive No. 2 quarterback this offseason and training camp after filling that role in 2023, but Bowles is apparently making the University of Florida product earn that slotting again this summer. The two quarterbacks each played a half in Saturday night's preseason win over the Bengals and put up comparable numbers, so the competition doesn't appear to be over.