  The photoproduction of the $J/\psi$ off the proton is believed to deepen our
understanding of various physics issues. On the one hand, it is proposed to
provide access to the origin of the proton mass, based on the QCD multipole
expansion. On the other hand, it can be employed in a study of pentaquark
states. The process is usually assumed to proceed through vector-meson
dominance, that is the photon couples to a $J/\psi$ which rescatters with the
proton to give the $J/\psi p$ final state. In this Letter, we provide a
compelling hint for and propose measurements necessary to confirm a novel
production mechanism via the $\Lambda_c \bar D^{(*)}$ intermediate states. In
particular, there must be cusp structures at the $\Lambda_c \bar D^{(*)}$
thresholds in the energy dependence of the $J/\psi$ photoproduction cross
section. The same mechanism also implies the $J/\psi$-nucleon scattering
lengths of order 1 mfm. Given this, one expects only a minor contribution of
charm quarks to the nucleon mass.
