The Minnesota Vikings are in the midst of a quarterback battle between Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy. Whoever draws the short stick would be in a precarious position.
If McCarthy loses the QB competition, he will have officially been demoted after just one season. With fellow quarterback Carson Wentz on the roster, perhaps Minnesota would consider dealing McCarthy away. If that were the case, Charley Waters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press would be asking for at least a third-round pick.
“Depending on training camp performances, if the Vikings were to get a decent offer — say a third-round draft pick — for QB J.J. McCarthy, it wouldn’t be surprising if Minnesota starts the season with Murray, Wentz and perhaps Rush as its top three QBs,” Walters wrote.”
Article Continues Below
Walters noted that the Vikings also brought in Cooper Rush for a visit. If Minnesota were to sign him, it would make McCarthy even more expendable.
After missing his entire rookie season due to a knee injury, the quarterback went 6-4 over the 10 games he started in 2025. However, McCarthy completed just 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The fact the Vikings went out and signed Murray shows where McCarthy currently stands.
Still, there is a chance he can win back the starting job in training camp. If not though, trade noise will only get louder. And if the Vikings are offered a third-round pick or better, perhaps it's too good to pass up if they've decided McCarthy isn't the quarterback of the future.
The Minnesota Vikings are in the midst of a quarterback battle between Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy. Whoever draws the short stick would be in a precarious position. If McCarthy loses the QB competition, he will have officially been demoted after just one season. With fellow quarterback Carson Wentz on the roster, perhaps Minnesota would consider dealing McCarthy away.