The Minnesota Vikings have said through head coach Kevin O’Connell that they want to hold onto quarterback JJ McCarthy, while the third-year/second-string signal-caller has said he wants to remain in Minneapolis. Both statements might be true, both might be fabrications, but at this point neither side can really afford to say anything else.
McCarthy was the No. 10 pick in 2024 and has started just 10 games due to injuries. He didn’t improve enough over the offseason to hold off free agent signing Kyler Murray, whom the team named its starter before the first preseason game of the summer on Saturday, August 15.
The cumulative events in Minnesota involving McCarthy have almost certainly pushed the 23-year-old QB’s trade value to its lowest point since he joined the NFL more than two years ago.
And to make matters worse, several league sources that have looked into the possibility of a deal for McCarthy told Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports that they don’t much like what they’ve learned.
“He’s probably a little bit distinguishable from like a [Sam] Darnold or from a Baker [Mayfield] in that those guys, to me, prior to like wandering in the wilderness, had shown more,” Zenitz wrote Saturday, citing a front office executive. “There are fewer threads to sort of explain away his struggles than maybe those other guys present.”
Another member of a front office made similar comments.
“Just looked last year like a young player who was still trying to find his confidence,” that executive told Zenitz. “His accuracy was a little bit inconsistent. Was more of in a developmental state of how he played. Took a lot of sacks, too.”
Trading JJ McCarthy Might Be What’s Best for Kyler Murray in Minnesota
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray.
Carmen Vitali of FOX Sports told ESPN’s Mina Kimes last week on the latter’s podcast that the mood/vibe surrounding McCarthy in Minnesota is not one that indicates a trade is imminent.
That is not necessarily bad news for the Vikings, though it isn’t necessarily good news, either.
If the team could deal McCarthy for a meaningful draft asset right now, it might have to seriously consider doing so, as it is difficult to predict how his benching might impact his confidence and play going forward.
Furthermore, McCarthy’s absence would rid the Vikings of whatever heat might come from fans and media to insert him back into the starting lineup if Murray struggles.
Given how quickly the Vikings landed on Murray as QB1, it is fair to assume that O’Connell and company hope he can last the full season before deciding on whether to bring the two-time Pro Bowler back on a contract extension or let him hit free agency in March 2027.
However, it might become more difficult to justify a full 17 games in the starting lineup if Murray has two or three bad outings in a row during the middle of the year and the non-believers start making noise for McCarthy to get another crack at the top job.
JJ McCarthy’s Trade Value Should Improve as Season Progresses
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy.
The flip side of that coin is that McCarthy is still incredibly young and barely has a half-season of starting experience under his belt. He could prove a viable starter eventually, as some of the sources in Zenitz’s story mentioned.
So while McCarthy won’t be O’Connell’s primary focus with Murray operating as the starter, the head coach/offensive guru can still work to develop the young first-round pick over the coming months and see how he progresses.
Murray has a significant injury history, so Minnesota may well need to call on another QB to start at some point. For example, the team started three quarterbacks last season.
McCarthy’s trade value is liable to only improve as the preseason/regular season progress given the likelihood of QB injuries around the league. And if he gets a shot or two to fill in for Murray ahead of the November trade deadline and doesn’t struggle mightily, that could help the cause as well.
That said, it doesn’t sound like front offices around the league are too keen on talking trades for McCarthy at this point and would only be willing to buy low on the QB right now, if at all.
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