The on-camera sidestep that sent Vikings fans into a tizzy last Thursday might have foreshadowed this: J.J. McCarthy looks ready to get back under center . After five missed games with a high ankle sprain, the second-year QB appears to be trending toward a Week 9 return.

Adam Schefter reported, “Vikings listed J.J. McCarthy as a full participant in today’s practice.” Minnesota’s posted injury report for Lions week backs it up , with McCarthy marked “Full” on Wednesday in Detroit prep.

This lines up with Kevin O’Connell’s posture for weeks: if McCarthy is healthy, he plays. The final boxes were always about function, not pain tolerance—quick-twitch, “reactionary” movements and being able to extend within structure. A full tag suggests those hurdles are being cleared and ramps up the e

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