Why keep McCarthy around?
JJ McCarthy trade discussion won't go away for the Minnesota Vikings, but it should for one reason
Story by Tyler Forness
• 3h •
2 min read
The idea of the Minnesota Vikings trading J.J. McCarthy continues to be mentioned, but it’s too Madden brained.
When the Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Kyler Murray, the prevailing thought was that J.J. McCarthy‘s future with the team was over. Murray theoretically wasn’t going to sign with a team to be a backup.
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Even so, McCarthy was selected by the Vikings at 10th overall, and it wouldn’t make sense to cut bait while he’s on a team-friendly, fully guaranteed contract. Even so, the discussions around trading McCarthy are constant, especially with the lack of depth across the board.
Trading J.J. McCarthy doesn’t make sense
The latest discussion about a McCarthy trade comes from ESPN’s Dan Graziano, posing the question of why they didn’t do it. It provides a significant explanation as to why.
It’s important to note the intricacies of Graziano’s argument here. Murray has struggled to stay healthy in his career, and head coach Kevin O’Connell has had to start at least three quarterbacks in two of his four years with the Vikings. Even with McCarthy also having injury issues, it’s important for O’Connell to keep three capable starting quarterbacks.
Along with that, the value of which the Vikings would get in a trade won’t come close to matching what it’s giving up. McCarthy’s struggles aside, he’s only 23 years old and multiple questions still exist about his future. There is still a possibility he could be a franchise quarterback. However, his lack of production across two years won’t net the Vikings much in return. Right now, it would be, at best, a fourth-round pick, which is what Trey Lance netted in 2024.
It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to trade him at this moment. Now, could that change if Murray wins the job and there is a major injury at quarterback? Absolutely. However, for right now, the discussion of trading McCarthy needs to stop. It doesn’t make sense, nor, barring extenuating circumstances, will it happen.
comet52 wrote:
If Kyler does well his agent will be fielding competitive offers and JJM will be irrelevant. He's not "leverage" he's just a fallback plan if the team pulls another flub like they did with Darnold.
and that fall back plan is leverage, so you cant get bent over by the agent. if you dont have that leverage and you do try and negotiate, that lack of an in house fall back plan will be used as leverage against you.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
Man, even I don't think JJMcCarthy is going to be any good. I seriously think he's going to be maybe a back-up in this league? But you have to keep them around because what else do we got? And then what else would we get? Even if Murray is the starter, there's a high probability that he's going to get hurt during the year. We have to have something there, and we have a guy that looks like he might be a career backup already on our roster.
Is this thing STILL on? | Skol Vikes! |
JimmyinSD wrote:
and that fall back plan is leverage, so you cant get bent over by the agent. if you dont have that leverage and you do try and negotiate, that lack of an in house fall back plan will be used as leverage against you.
Leverage isn't having some iffy junior qb on the roster when you are trying to sign a legit guy to a huge deal. Besides, the agent doesn't need the Vikings to have no alternative qb plan to get more from them, all he needs is an active market of other teams which will surely exist, because it exists for every decent qb in a qb-hungry league.
comet52 wrote:
Leverage isn't having some iffy junior qb on the roster when you are trying to sign a legit guy to a huge deal. Besides, the agent doesn't need the Vikings to have no alternative qb plan to get more from them, all he needs is an active market of other teams which will surely exist, because it exists for every decent qb in a qb-hungry league.
and the Vikings plan was JJM before Murray became available, by still having him in house and under contract it lessens the agents leverage, the Vikings should absolutely be ready to let KM walk and go back to JJMs development, regardless of about any potential outcome of this season, if they try and overplay their hand. and a first round draft pick blue chip QB with only a handful of starts is hardly an "iffy" jr QB, I still think they are fucking up by pausing JJMs development, but they would be foolish if they allow themselves to get pressured into a stupid deal for an iffy veteran QB because of the fear that JJM may not develop.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
comet52 wrote:
Leverage isn't having some iffy junior qb on the roster when you are trying to sign a legit guy to a huge deal. Besides, the agent doesn't need the Vikings to have no alternative qb plan to get more from them, all he needs is an active market of other teams which will surely exist, because it exists for every decent qb in a qb-hungry league.
If the Kyler of the last 4 years is the one we get, that's not a great option. Even if he's good, you still are going to be worried about injuries.
As you said, there's a very real chance that other teams drive his contract value higher than what makes sense. We'll have to decide if we want to outspend those other teams.
There's a very real chance that JJM at a lower price is the better option than Murray is after another year of development.
medaille wrote:
If the Kyler of the last 4 years is the one we get, that's not a great option. Even if he's good, you still are going to be worried about injuries.
As you said, there's a very real chance that other teams drive his contract value higher than what makes sense. We'll have to decide if we want to outspend those other teams.
There's a very real chance that JJM at a lower price is the better option than Murray is after another year of development.
Yep, been saying this for months. I expect Murray to have a career year in this offense and with these weapons. But I still think Murray for $50M versus McCarthy for $5 is going to be THE question of next year's offseason.
I don't agree with those who say the Vikings would never let yet another successful QB walk. I believe they could...and just might, depending on various details like injuries, JJ's improvement, etc.
"The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it”
MaroonBells wrote:
Yep, been saying this for months. I expect Murray to have a career year in this offense and with these weapons. But I still think Murray for $50M versus McCarthy for $5 is going to be THE question of next year's offseason.
I don't agree with those who say the Vikings would never let yet another successful QB walk. I believe they could...and just might, depending on various details like injuries, JJ's improvement, etc.
So....why are we doing the Kyler Murray Experience at all then?
StickierBuns wrote:
So....why are we doing the Kyler Murray Experience at all then?
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“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
To add context to this discussion, you have to figure in the number of projected first round QBs that will be available in next year's draft. It could be as many as seven. Teams that are in need of a QB will want to draft one rather than sign a mediocre vet such as Murray. Murray's market will be playoff teams who think that they're a QB away such as the Steelers or teams drafting later in the first round who don't think they'll be able to get their guy.
StickierBuns wrote:
So....why are we doing the Kyler Murray Experience at all then?
For the price, it makes sense: league minimum for a dynamic, pro bowl QB that was the #1 pick. His inconsistency, his injury history, and his capacity to make highlight reels more than winning seasons makes him a great option to push JJM. Kyler's accuracy (which is largely due to TE dump-offs) and other foundational abilities are areas where McCarthy needed improvement, whereas JJM is better acquainted with KOC's system and the players...and is still growing into his own skills/abilities. Our young QB is going to share the field and reps with a prototypical mobile QB that is more accurate, even if Kyler's career is less impressive.
I admit, fully, that I'm no fan of Murray's...but, that changes the moment he's under center in a game for our team. If I could survive McMahon and Favre in Purple, I can deal with Kyler. That said I really want JJM to succeed and prove that we CAN develop a drafted QB.
KOC, JJM, Flores...make a good plan, or you'll be following Kwesi....
MaroonBells wrote:
Yep, been saying this for months. I expect Murray to have a career year in this offense and with these weapons. But I still think Murray for $50M versus McCarthy for $5 is going to be THE question of next year's offseason.
I don't agree with those who say the Vikings would never let yet another successful QB walk. I believe they could...and just might, depending on various details like injuries, JJ's improvement, etc.
It seems unlikely that a successful season by Kyler would leave the Vikings ditching him for JJM. That's literally a repeat of the Darnold situation that left the team and more specifically the Wilfs with egg all over their faces and by some accounts figured into Kwesi losing his job. You remember Kwesi, the guy who expected the team to run JJM out there again for this coming season?
I don't know how you figure JJM for 5 mil either. His 5th year option for north of 20 mil would be due and I doubt his agent would agree to a deal for so little versus just being able to test the market. 5 million is like saying he still stinks but we'll ditch the guy who just balled out because, hey, cheap contract!
They would literally need to own a time machine so they could go peek at the future and guarantee that move wouldn't be like a repeat of Darnold and maybe the most embarrassing thing in the history of football. It could be so bad it might make people forget the Herschel Walker deal lol. 😀
comet52 wrote:
It seems unlikely that a successful season by Kyler would leave the Vikings ditching him for JJM. That's literally a repeat of the Darnold situation that left the team and more specifically the Wilfs with egg all over their faces and by some accounts figured into Kwesi losing his job. You remember Kwesi, the guy who expected the team to run JJM out there again for this coming season?
I don't know how you figure JJM for 5 mil either. His 5th year option for north of 20 mil would be due and I doubt his agent would agree to a deal for so little versus just being able to test the market. 5 million is like saying he still stinks but we'll ditch the guy who just balled out because, hey, cheap contract!
They would literally need to own a time machine so they could go peek at the future and guarantee that move wouldn't be like a repeat of Darnold and maybe the most embarrassing thing in the history of football. It could be so bad it might make people forget the Herschel Walker deal lol. 😀
Good point regarding the option $$$:
J.J. McCarthy’s fifth-year option for the 2027 season is estimated to be approximately $26 million. The Minnesota Vikings will need to officially decide whether to pick up this fully guaranteed option by the May 2027 deadline.
Because he was drafted in the top 10 of the NFL draft, his fifth-year value is calculated using the average of the 3rd to 25th highest-paid players at the quarterback position.
Lots of intrigue for both QB's this year for sure. I think if they do keep K1, his contract may be more in line with Mayfield than say Love:
Baker Mayfield is in the final year of a three-year, $100 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which he originally signed in 2024. The deal features up to $115 million in max incentives and $80 million in total guaranteed money, following a reworked 2025 contract extension that secured his 2026 guarantees.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
comet52 wrote:
It seems unlikely that a successful season by Kyler would leave the Vikings ditching him for JJM. That's literally a repeat of the Darnold situation that left the team and more specifically the Wilfs with egg all over their faces and by some accounts figured into Kwesi losing his job. You remember Kwesi, the guy who expected the team to run JJM out there again for this coming season?
I don't know how you figure JJM for 5 mil either. His 5th year option for north of 20 mil would be due and I doubt his agent would agree to a deal for so little versus just being able to test the market. 5 million is like saying he still stinks but we'll ditch the guy who just balled out because, hey, cheap contract!
They would literally need to own a time machine so they could go peek at the future and guarantee that move wouldn't be like a repeat of Darnold and maybe the most embarrassing thing in the history of football. It could be so bad it might make people forget the Herschel Walker deal lol. 😀
He's making roughly $5M per year now. That's where that comes from. He's eligible for an extension after this season, but his 5th year option isn't until 2028. So technically, we could have McCarthy on a rookie deal for two more seasons.
No, it's not likely the Vikings would let Murray walk if he has the kind of season most of us are expecting. Not likely but not impossible either. There are many moving parts: maybe Murray gets hurt again. Maybe Murray doesn't quite grasp the offense. Maybe McCarthy shows remarkable improvement in the preseason and a handful of regular season games he might get into. If that happens, he'll give the Vikings something to think about.
"The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it”
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