The Minnesota Vikings and quarterback J.J. McCarthy have been the subject of rumors throughout the course of the preseason as well as during training camp. Ever since Kyler Murray was named the starter, trade rumors have swirled. Now, NFL insider Ian Rapoport offered a new take on those rumors, ahead of the Vikings preseason finale against the Denver Broncos.
McCarthy has had an up-and-down preseason to this point. Most recently, he left Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens in the first quarter with an ankle injury. The injury lingered with him into the course of the week. Now, he will not start Friday’s showdown in what could be an important game for him.
Analyst Breaks Down Future of Vikings QB
Rapoport indicated that McCarthy may not be on the move at this present moment.
As far as I know, there’s no trade in the works. As far as I know, J.J. McCarthy has not requested a trade at all. And there is a line of thinking where he would benefit from being in (head coach) Kevin O’Connell’s system, continuing to learn it, if he ever plays, he would be in better position in Minnesota to play than anywhere else, but I think it is fair to say it is to be determined on where J.J. McCarthy is next.”
The Michigan product has had a dismal preseason statistically. He has gone nine-of-17 throughout the first two games, throwing for 115 yards. If there’s one silver lining, he has not thrown any interceptions at the time of this writing. He began his preseason slate against the New York Giants. He played 22 snaps but did not record any official passing statistics. Murray took the opening drive while Carson Wentz was able to finish out the remainder of the game.
The second preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens was a bit of a different story. He started the game at the second-team offense and played the entire first quarter. There were some positive signs during that timeframe. He went five-of-10 through the air, throwing for 81 yards.
One of the biggest plays of the day for him came on a 50-yard completion to wide receiver Tai Felton. That being said, he struggled in the red zone as he could not connect with Myles Price on several opportunities.
Vikings Could Also Benefit From No Trade
McCarthy not being traded from the Vikings could be the best-case scenario for both parties. For the Vikings, this would give them a quality backup quarterback and a player familiar with their system. For McCarthy, this will allow him to continue to grow and show what he can do coming off an injury. The quarterback has now battled both a meniscus tear and an ankle injury over the course of the past two seasons. Allowing him to readjust and rest could be the smartest move.
It’s not as if McCarthy did not show flashes of what he could do last season. He threw for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Those are not the best statistics. However, they do offer credence to the argument that McCarthy can at least be somewhat productive in the NFL.
The dynamic with the quarterback will be interesting to see if McCarthy does not get traded. The fact that he is not starting in Friday’s game derails an opportunity to show what he can do one final time in the preseason slate.
If anything, it seems like the Vikings will have a loaded quarterback room for the 2026 campaign. That is not necessarily a bad thing, considering that Murray has dealt with injuries. That is something to take into account here as well. Either way, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out, and how the dynamic between Murray and McCarthy continues to develop.
Vikings QB’s Future Is “To Be Determined,” Insider Says