Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy began last season as the starting quarterback and led his team to an electric fourth-quarter comeback over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, but man what a difference a year can make.
Heading into Week 1 this season against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, McCarthy will watch from the sidelines as the Vikings’ third-string option behind starter Kyler Murray and backup quarterback Carson Wentz.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell announced McCarthy’s double demotion on Wednesday, and the 23-year-old QB spoke to the media the following day.
“Whatever aspect that entails is what I’m working on every day.”
“I just feel like being the best quarterback I can be for this team and, you know, whatever aspect that entails is what I’m working on every day,” McCarthy said.
Unlikely That Vikings Trade JJ McCarthy Any Time Soon, per Insider Report
The developments in McCarthy’s career over the last five weeks or so, dropping from in the race for QB1 to solidly planted at QB3, naturally transition to a conversation about his trade potential in the next two months before the league’s November 10 deadline.
However, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that the more likely outcome is McCarthy and the Vikings remain together all year and explore a separation next offseason if circumstances still warrant it.
“It’s probably best for both sides to spend the year together before they explore a divorce,” Schefter said on “Get Up” Thursday. “It’s not an ideal marriage, but they’re kinda stuck with each other for the time being.”
Trading McCarthy now would be moving on from the former No. 10 overall draft pick at his lowest possible value since he joined the NFL, which is another potential incentive for Minnesota to wait on making such a drastic move.
Gauging how well Murray takes to O’Connell’s system and how healthy he can remain is also prudent information for the Vikings to gain before they aggressively hunt a deal for McCarthy that might only bring back a late Day 3 pick at this point.
JJ McCarthy Still Has Narrow Path to Longterm Future With Vikings
While McCarthy is currently the third-string signal-caller on the depth chart, O’Connell made it clear on Wednesday that his decisions on the backup quarterback will be “week-to-week” and that McCarthy can play his way back into the conversation.
“Carson [Wentz] will be the backup on Sunday, and J.J. [McCarthy] will obviously be the third guy. And really, I’m looking at that right now as a week-to-week thing,” O’Connell explained during his press conference. “JJ is still going to get a bunch of great work. I’m just really excited to continue to get the chance to work with him. We want to make it week-to-week so when we feel like when we need to declare something different, we can and we will.”
If McCarthy can work his way back to QB2 and Murray either struggles or suffers an injury, then McCarthy could find himself starting for the Vikings again at some point in 2026.
Vikings’ JJ McCarthy Speaks Out After He’s Named QB3 Before Packers Game