Minnesota Vikings quarterback J. J. McCarthy has been the subject of rumors throughout the course of the last couple of weeks. Ever since Kyler Murray was named the starter, trade discussions and potential destinations have been a key theme. Now, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis is throwing a little bit of cold water onto the trade rumors.
McCarthy now sits as the third quarterback on our Vikings roster that needs consistency at the quarterback position. It is quite a stark comparison to where he was just a year ago as he served as the Vikings quarterback. Now, there are whispers that the Vikings should trade him with the idea that he would get a fresh start.
However, Lewis sees two potential roadblocks to a trade, as he talked about on his show on Tuesday.
“The first fold of it to stick with that verbiage is that J.J. McCarthy is owed $5.5 million in guaranteed money over this year and next year. That is backup-level money for a player that I don’t believe many throughout the NFL believe is worthy of the backup spot right now. And that’s most likely validated by the Vikings choice.
I’ve even had some conversations with people who weren’t necessarily sure that they viewed him as starting quarterback level prospect. And this is probably going to be perceived as me being negative. I’m just giving you the direct conversations that I’ve had from people within the league.”
McCarthy Has Intriguing Value For Vikings
It is certainly difficult to accurately assess what McCarthy’s value is at the moment. The 2025 regular season saw him throw for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also had 37 carries for 181 yards and four touchdowns. He finished the year with a 72.6 passer rating. The Michigan product had some positive moments from the 2025 season, as he continued to battle through injury.
The 2026 preseason was a bit of a mixed bag. He appeared in two games, going nine-of-17 for 115 yards with no touchdowns and two sacks. In seven preseason offensive possessions, seven of them turned out to be parts. One possession in particular ended in a turnover on downs at the one-yard line.
On top of his statistical performance, there was also speculation that he chose to sit out because he did not feel comfortable playing. This certainly did not help trade rumors and speculation. McCarthy was able to still make the roster for the final cutdown day.
Trade Would Be Difficult For Vikings
Lewis certainly has some strong points in this particular segment of his podcast. McCarthy’s contract is not exactly friendly for a third-string quarterback. This could make McCarthy difficult to move, and it’s quite the albatross when you consider the salaries of the quarterback room.
The uncertainty regarding his talent is also a fair criticism. The Michigan product showed flashes of what he could do last season, but it wasn’t exactly a complete body of work. Coming off injuries, one season is certainly not enough to tell whether he is a viable quarterback in the NFL. This preseason told a little bit more, but even that is not enough of a sample size to make an accurate determination.
It will be interesting to see what happens with McCarthy and how his career pans out with the Vikings. Right now, he is a bit lower on the depth chart. His status has been polarizing to say the least, and McCarthy’s story is definitely not done being written.
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