The future of J.J. McCarthy could get cloudy should he lose the Minnesota Vikings QB competition to Kyler Murray. After last season, in which McCarthy had a rollercoaster season, showing promise but also concern, the Vikings decided to bring in competition for the young QB.
Murray comes into this competition looking to prove that he’s still a starting QB in the league after the Arizona Cardinals cut ties with him this offseason. Furthermore, many expect the former No. 1 pick to win the competition.
As a result, the question will be: If Murray does become QB1, what happens to McCarthy? Is he QB2, or would Minnesota be open to trading the former first-round pick?
Wynston Wilcox of FanSided put together a trade idea that would send McCarthy to the Indianapolis Colts. In this hypothetical scenario, the Colts would get McCarthy while the Vikings would receive Anthony Richardson Sr. and a 2027 seventh-round pick.
“This is by far the most intriguing mock trade on this list,” Wilcox wrote in a July 14 article. “The Indianapolis Colts are done with Anthony Richardson Sr. and the Vikings have been rumored to be interested in the former No. 4 overall pick.
“Are those rumors true? Well, that’s another discussion, but there could be a rare, backup quarterback swap between these two teams and it’s not that far-fetched. At the end of the day, the Colts do need a serviceable backup quarterback and McCarthy could be that.”
J.J. McCarthy Could Find His Way Into the Colts’ Starting Job
Moreover, McCarthy could find his way into the Colts’ starting job if Daniel Jones struggles to find the form that he had before his Achilles injury.
“Daniel Jones is the Colts’ guy, but he’s also coming off an Achilles injury,” Wilcox added in his article. “If he’s ailing to start the year or doesn’t quite play to the level he did pre-injury, McCarthy could save them from another failed season without a first-round pick.
“As for the Vikings, they get rid of a frustrated quarterback and bring in one they’ll have no choice but to be patient with. Richardson isn’t starting with his next team, at least right away.”
Last season with the Vikings, McCarthy had 310 pass snaps, leading to a 61.8 overall PFF grade. Moreover, he threw for 1,632 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions while also recording 19 big-time throws and 15 turnover-worthy plays.
Anthony Richardson Sr. Could Be a Project for the Vikings
In the Vikings’ case, Richardson could slide into the QB3 role and become a project for head coach Kevin O’Connell, given that in this scenario Murray would be QB1 and Carson Wentz would be QB2. Minnesota is only guaranteed to have Murray for this season, and Richardson could be an option for next season if O’Connell sees starter potential in him.
“Even if Murray is their interim option if he plays well in 2026, Richardson could be a player they have in their back pocket,” Wilcox wrote.
“Pairing Richardson with Kevin O’Connell and that offense is just about the only solution he has to an NFL future — though a move to the Green Bay Packers is equally intriguing. It’s rare to see teams swap quarterbacks, but in this situation, I wouldn’t put it past either team to do this in an effort to simply move on.”
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