Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy shared his excitement after Organized Team Activity No. 2 on Wednesday in Eagan.

“It feels amazing,” he said of being back on the field. “When you get it taken away from you, you take every chance you get to be back out here and really appreciate it, really take the most out of it. There’s just nothing better than being out here with the boys, playing some ball.”

McCarthy missed his rookie season with a knee injury.

***Click the video box above to watch McCarthy in action and his session with reporters***

The Vikings haven’t publicly announced that McCarthy is the QB1, but they moved up in the 2024 Draft to get him for a reason.

The idea after Sam Darnold departed to Seattle in free agency is for McCarthy to take over.

OTAs are not mandatory, but the Vikings came close on Wednesday to having nearly 100 percent participation. This includes WR Justin Jefferson, who is spending a lot of time in Eagan this offseason. Certainly more so than previous offseasons.