NFL-Managed 12426097 Home

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday at the start of Minnesota's voluntary OTAs that McCarthy (knee) will participate in "full" with "no limitations," Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

Analysis: The 2024 first-round pick missed his entire rookie campaign due to a torn meniscus suffered just after his preseason debut, but after having resumed on-field work in January, O'Connell said McCarthy is now "ready to hit the ground running" with no training limitations, per Ben Goessling of The Minnesota Star Tribune. Despite McCarthy not being able to log any action as a rookie, Minnesota's confidence in the young-signal caller was high enough for the team to allow Sam Darnold to sign with Seattle after a career year, leaving the 2024 10th overall pick in clear position to enter Year 2 as a starter. With an elite top trio of pass-catchers at his disposal in the form of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson, plus an O-line recently bolstered by offseason signings Ryan Kelly and Will Fries (lower leg), McCarthy has all the surrounding support necessary to start his tenure in the No. 1 seat strong.

Jets general manager Darren Mougey said Monday that the team intends to exercise the fifth-year options of Johnson (Achilles), Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner (hamstring), Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Analysis: Johnson is working his way back from a right Achilles tear suffered Week 2 of the 2024 season, and he said in February that his recovery remains on track and he expects to be ready for the start of OTAs in spring, per John Flanigan of SNY.com. Having their fifth-year options exercised will keep all of Johnson, Wilson and Gardner in New York on their rookie deals through the 2026 season.

Jets general manager Darren Mougey said Monday that the team intends to exercise the fifth-year options of Gardner (hamstring), Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson (Achilles), Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

Analysis: Gardner, Wilson and Johnson were all selected by New York in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and the Jets plan to extend all of their rookie contracts through 2026. The No. 4 overall pick of that draft year, Gardner's guaranteed base salary in 2026 will project at $20.1 million guaranteed, though he will work to negotiate a long-term extension before then. A hamstring injury forced Gardner to spend the final game of the 2024 regular season on IR, but he projects to be fully ready for the start of mandatory offseason activities.