The Minnesota Vikings have something of a mess on their hands with JJ McCarthy, which new general manager Nolan Teasley — who was not part of the organization when it drafted the quarterback — addressed on Wednesday.
McCarthy sat out some practice work last week before sidelining himself ahead of the team’s preseason finale on August 28. However, Teasley confirmed that McCarthy is back on the field and shared a two-word assessment of his expectations for the QB’s immediate future in Minnesota.
“Vikings GM Nolan Teasley said QB JJ McCarthy has practiced fully the last two days,” Alec Lewis of The Athletic reported via X on September 2. “When asked if he expects him to be on the roster in 2026, Teasley said: ‘I do.'”
Vikings GM Won’t Confirm JJ McCarthy’s Spot on QB Depth Chart
Teasley did elaborate briefly as to McCarthy’s role moving forward, which will most certainly be behind starter Kyler Murray. It could also be behind Carson Wentz if the team names the veteran its backup QB ahead of Week 1, which is what the majority of NFL analysts and team insiders are predicting with roughly a week and a half before the season opener.
“JJ McCarthy’s role is to continue to develop, to improve and to support his teammates,” Teasley continued. “And he’s done an excellent job of that from the moment that I’ve been here and, from my understanding, from the moment he walked through the door.”
Teasley also offered a non-committal response to McCarthy’s specific status as either QB2 or QB3 as of Wednesday.
“I wouldn’t really necessarily comment on depth immediately,” Teasley continued. “But yeah, I’m pleased that he is part of our present version of the Minnesota Vikings and excited about his future.”
Max Brosmer Returns to Vikings’ Practice Squad, Increasing Team’s QB Number to 4
Minnesota brought second-year quarterback Max Brosmer back to the practice squad on Wednesday after cutting earlier in the week, which moves the number of QBs within the organization back up to four.
Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune said Monday that he does not believe it is likely Minnesota will retain four quarterbacks heading into Week 1, which could put McCarthy on the trade block. However, it appeared as though Teasley rebuffed that notion with his press conference on Wednesday.
Lewis noted on X Wednesday that there are two considerable roadblocks to the Vikings moving McCarthy via a trade, if the team decides to attempt to do so at any point.
The first is that most organizations currently view McCarthy as a QB3. And given his first-round paycheck — he inked a four-year deal worth almost $22 million in 2024 — the money will likely prove an issue in most potential McCarthy deals.
The second obstacle Lewis mentioned is that the perception on McCarthy across the league is split, and there are several front office executives and coaches who now do not consider it likely that he will ever develop into a longterm starting quarterback.
Vikings GM Gives Frank 2-Word Update on JJ McCarthy’s Future