J.J. McCarthy’s QB Move Sparks Urgent Vikings Trade Talks

The Minnesota Vikings are adamant about not rushing rookie J.J. McCarthy — but as he continues to impress at training camp, the case to trade veteran backup Nick Mullens and make McCarthy first in line to back up starter Sam Darnold has grown strong.

On August 6, the Vikings released their first unofficial depth chart and listed McCarthy as co-QB2 alongside Mullens. While they seem neck-and-neck on paper, McCarthy has seen the majority of snaps behind Darnold. Mullens, in his third year in the system, has seen few snaps this summer as the Vikings prioritize getting Darnold ready to start Week 1 and developing McCarthy.

That could lead the team to trade Mullens if McCarthy continues his current trajectory. He could effectively phase out the need for Mullens, who fits the mold of a backup to the franchise’s previous quarterback, Kirk Cousins, more than Darnold or McCarthy.

Appearing on SKOR North’s “Mackey and Judd” podcast, KSTP’s Darren Wolfson, noting the Vikings’ lack of draft capital and McCarthy’s growth this summer, urged the team to trade Mullens with his role looking questionable.

“Something that we brought up weeks ago makes all sorts of sense now: that you can move Nick Mullens. You can feel comfortable with J.J. as the No. 2 [quarterback],” Wolfson said. “You hear enough stuff, whether it’s on the record or on background, that I’m not sure what the Nick Mullens role exactly is.”

Acquiring Mullens in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders after their first preseason game in 2022, the Vikings sent a conditional seventh-round pick and could likely regain that same capital in a trade this summer.

“I’m starting to think more and more, if you can recoup — even if it’s a seventh-round pick, a late Day 3 draft pick — but it does make sense to make that move to trade Nick Mullens,” Wolfson added.

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J.J. McCarthy Proving to Be ‘the Real Deal’ at Vikings Training Camp

The bar is higher for McCarthy to take over as the Vikings’ starter. It’s not enough for him to play better than Darnold this summer — he must meet benchmarks laid out by the coaching staff.

However, McCarthy’s progression over several months has been notable to many observers. KFAN’s Paul Allen said that McCarthy is coming together “not hour by hour” but “second by second.”

While McCarthy’s growth has been exponential throughout the offseason, it will be capped once the regular season starts and reps for backups become minimal.

However, how far he’s come in a matter of a month hasn’t shut the door on conversations for him to make a push to be the Week 1 starter.

“He is the real deal. We can at least have the discussion. I wasn’t sure four weeks ago if we would have a legitimate discussion on August 6 about the possibility of J.J. McCarthy starting Week 1 at the New York Giants,” Wolfson said. “I think we’re at the point where it’s OK to talk about it.”

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Sam Darnold Still the Betting Favorite to Start Week 1; Vikings Thrilled to Have Landed McCarthy

While McCarthy has exceeded expectations this summer, the Vikings don’t appear ready to scrap their plans to start Sam Darnold.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Darnold is still a heavy favorite to start Week 1 with -600 odds compared with McCarthy’s +400 odds.

This is informed by the Vikings brass’s comments about the quarterback position over the offseason and training camp observations.

However, that doesn’t take away that McCarthy has lived up to the draft hype that saw him skyrocket into the first round after his national championship victory with Michigan.

“You talk to people behind the scenes — the way [McCarthy] is in meeting rooms, the way he connects with his teammates — there is so much to like about J.J. McCarthy,” Wolfson said, adding that it’s not a matter of if, but when the McCarthy era begins. “I’m telling you: Everything I’ve heard is positive. There are so many people who are so glad he landed in purple.”

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