It’s been a while since there’s been any good news on the JJ McCarthy front. Unfortunately, fans of the young signal-caller will have to wait a bit longer before that train takes a turn for the better.
Just over two weeks after losing his starting job to Kyler Murray, he seemingly also lost his grip on the backup QB spot. The Athletic’s Alec Lewis, who’s as plugged-in as anyone on the Minnesota Vikings‘ beat, is confident that Carson Wentz would be the next man up if Murray were to get hurt or falter.
“My expectation right now, and this is just based on conversations, but also what I’ve seen, is that Carson Wentz is definitely going to be the backup for the Minnesota Vikings,” Lewis said on the Vikings Collective. “And so, that would then lead you down the road of JJ McCarthy as the number three quarterback. How okay is he going to be with that? I think that’s a very valid question. If he’s not okay with that, does that end up leading to a conversation about, you know, is this the end of the road?”
While the fall from the second- to third-string quarterback isn’t as disastrous as losing his grasp on the starting job, it’s still a major development for the former 10th overall pick. However, his precipitous fall shouldn’t be surprising to those keeping tabs on the situation.
Carson Wentz Is A Viable Backup Option
Carson Wentz is no slouch. The former second-overall pick was easily their best starting option last season. With 6 passing TDs and 5 interceptions over his five starts, he was the only Vikings QB with a positive TD/INT ratio. He was also only 400 passing yards behind McCarthy, who added 12 interceptions and 11 touchdowns, despite starting half as many games.
Likewise, Wentz also significantly outplayed McCarthy over their two preseason matchups. He has completed 18 of 25 attempts for 173 yards and 1 touchdown, while McCarthy has completed only 9 of his 17 attempts for 115 yards. Wentz is clearly more comfortable under center right now, and the comparison hasn’t been close.
If Murray were to get hurt, Wentz has proven to be the better option of the two. Removing politics and the fact that one guy still needs significant development to reach his potential in the Twin Cities aside, that much is clear.
Meanwhile, JJ McCarthy is a Viable Trade Option
With McCarthy quickly falling out of favor in Minnesota, some believe the Vikings might be willing to ship him out of town for the right price. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has firmly jumped on that bandwagon.
“With Max Brosmer also on the roster, McCarthy could be in danger of not being on the roster by Sunday, when the rosters reduce to 53. The Vikings undoubtedly would try to trade him, since the balance of his 2026 pay ($1.075 million) and all of his 2027 compensation ($3.775 million) are fully guaranteed. The Vikings may have to pay a significant chunk of the money in order to facilitate a deal,” Florio wrote.
It remains to be seen what the Vikings could get for McCarthy, but it surely wouldn’t be close to the tenth overall pick investment they initially made in him. However, with some fearing a locker room distraction, and McCarthy already falling to third on the depth chart, a bag of chips and Diet Coke might just be enough to sway them at this point.
JJ McCarthy Gets Even More Bad News Ahead Of Vikings Preseason Finale