EAGAN, Minn. -- The Vikings are sticking with quarterback Carson Wentz for at least one more game, coach Kevin O'Connell said Tuesday, citing a short week of preparation before Minnesota plays Thursday night in Los Angeles against the Chargers.
J.J. McCarthy will continue his recovery from a high right ankle sprain by serving as the Vikings' emergency No. 3 quarterback for the second consecutive week. Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer will be the backup behind Wentz.
Meanwhile, the Vikings opened the 21-day practice window for running back Aaron Jones, who has been on injured reserve since injuring his hamstring in Week 2. O'Connell said it was possible that Jones could be activated in time for Thursday night's game. Jordan Mason has taken over as the Vikings' primary running back, with 380 yards and four touchdowns this season, but the Vikings have missed Jones particularly in their passing game.
O'Connell and the Vikings' medical team put McCarthy through an on-field workout Tuesday morning. O'Connell said he wanted get "clarity" on whether McCarthy could be a candidate to play Thursday.
Ultimately, McCarthy was still limited, and the Vikings believe starting him Thursday night would risk reinjury. Assuming he isn't called into emergency duty, McCarthy will miss his 22nd regular-season game in 24 opportunities because of injuries since the Vikings selected him with the No. 10 pick of the 2024 draft.
"We're all kind of encouraged about where he's at, and the progress he's making," O'Connell said. "But he's just not there."
The evaluation might have been different had the Vikings been scheduled to play Sunday instead of Thursday.
Asked what threshold he wants to see McCarthy reach before clearing him to start, O'Connell said: "It's some of the movements, the reactionary movements within the pocket. Being able to use his athleticism to protect himself in the pocket and then as he's able to work through progressions.
"I feel really good about the work we've done on the foundation of his fundamentals," he said. "That's been pretty evident through the work that he's done and really his commitment to doing that. It's really just about, 'Hey, there's maybe a guy gets edged and I don't really know the movement I'm going to have to make.' That's where he still feels it and if he doesn't have the ability to do that pain-free, we obviously risk setting him back, which would be very, very unfortunate with the time lost already."
McCarthy said last week that multiple second opinions suggested the injury could take up to six weeks to heal. That gives him a reasonable chance of returning for the Vikings' next game, Nov. 2 at the Lions.
Wentz, who has led the Vikings to a 2-2 record since replacing McCarthy, said Tuesday that he is not thinking about what might happen after this week.
"My mindset is to go win this game," Wentz said, "and focus on the here and now. I don't have a lot of time or energy to think beyond this one, quite frankly. So let the future take care of itself, but the mindset is to go 1-0 this week and find a way to get mentally and physically as ready as I can on a short week."