Justin Jefferson not worried about Sam Darnold after JJ McCarthy's injury

Justin Jefferson trusts Sam Darnold.

Darnold is the Vikings' starter for the foreseeable future after rookie and first-round pick JJ McCarthy underwent knee surgery this week for a torn meniscus, ending his season.

Jefferson, who has played with several quarterbacks since Kirk Cousins ​​suffered a torn Achilles last season, expressed optimism about his connection with Darnold.

“It’s going very well,” Jefferson told CBS.

“A lot of people don't understand that there's a lot more to the connection between a quarterback and a receiver than just sitting back there and throwing the ball to one spot. You really have to learn the timing of everything, how I'm going to run the routes, where I'm going to be on the routes.

“We're just getting to know each other, learning how he throws the ball, learning how I run the routes. I'm definitely confident going into Week 1 with Sam as our quarterback. I feel like he's been making good plays all training camp. I'm not worried at all.”

After three years with the Jets, Darnold played two seasons for the Panthers and was Brock Purdy's backup for the 49ers last year.

Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall, who started a total of five games for the Vikings last season, remain on the team's roster.

Even though the Vikings don't have an established top starting quarterback, Jefferson is one of the odds-on favorites to lead the NFL in receiving yards this season.