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.
You’d be selling at his lowest value.
The 27 draft class is loaded.
There is literally zero talk of this Twitter that I’ve seen.
Now, if he blows up in preseason and someone gets injured and you get a first round pick from a contender…you pick up the phone and listen
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
The team has made more than enough bad QB decisions, sure they are going to be very cautious to make more. On a rookie deal with so much uncertainty around the position no reason at all to trade him. Now if you could go back in time, they could have stuck with Darnold and traded JJM at that time to the Jets for a first rounder, imagine the difference with this team right now.
like rookie quarterbacks do, jj beat himself, often,last year.
He needs reps and to improve his game. Time to see if he's a fast learner or a slow learner.
Glad the Vikings didn't give up on him.
Canthony wrote:
If he blows up in preseason, then I would assume he would have won the job, and you wouldn't trade him.
If he’s playing in preseason, he definitely hasn’t won the job. KO doesn’t play starters in preseason.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
lol, they won't go away because the X fanboys and podcasters perpetuate their own news and recycle. I mean, no matter what you think of JJM, how would it make sense to trade him now? His value is low #1 and they'd like a decent QB2 for this season on a rookie contract behind Murray AND to see if he's made progress. Forness and his ilk are the worst. Coller, etc. just rage bait engagement freaks. On3, Heavy.com, Purple FTW, Yahoo, etc. just complete clickbait shit. For the naive fans and those lacking online savvy, they take this stuff as legit. 🙄
Performative speculation.
“Hell is empty and all the devils are here”
Shakespeare
FourCornersViking wrote:
"The idea of the Minnesota Vikings trading J.J. McCarthy continues to be mentioned..."
Really Tyler? Irony just called and said it has located your self-awareness.
"The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it”
JustInTime wrote:
If he’s playing in preseason, he definitely hasn’t won the job. KO doesn’t play starters in preseason.
That could really work to his advantage to get a lot of playing time in the pre season, something they probably should have done last year. He would have a great opportunity to show where he is.
It'll be very intersting to see how the coaching staff executes this competition...I expect the #1 and #2 OL to get maybe a few more pre season reps than normal because of it.
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
All this continued talk is garbage. It's clickbait.
There is no logic to even consider trading JJM at this time.
There is probably a 90%+ chance that Murray wins the starting job.
There is also a probable 90%+ chance that he will get injured at some point during the season (based on his history), to the point of missing games.
Translated, there is probably a 90%+ chance that JJM will be rushed into starting, for his chance to prove his ability to perform, to prove his durability and ability to play through adversity. In the end, it's still going to be his job to lose.
Please God, just one Lombardi before I die.
Why? because he is the only QB on the roster with upside.
I was not a fan of him in '25, but he certainly can make corrections and progress into a top 10 QB. He was clearly rushed into the job. Needs to learn to stay healthy.
People sleep peacably at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
StickierBuns wrote:
lol, they won't go away because the X fanboys and podcasters perpetuate their own news and recycle. I mean, no matter what you think of JJM, how would it make sense to trade him now? His value is low #1 and they'd like a decent QB2 for this season on a rookie contract behind Murray AND to see if he's made progress. Forness and his ilk are the worst. Coller, etc. just rage bait engagement freaks. On3, Heavy.com, Purple FTW, Yahoo, etc. just complete clickbait shit. For the naive fans and those lacking online savvy, they take this stuff as legit. 🙄
Pretty much it. Gotta keep churning out that content.
Montana Tom wrote:
All this continued talk is garbage. It's clickbait.
There is no logic to even consider trading JJM at this time.
There is probably a 90%+ chance that Murray wins the starting job.
There is also a probable 90%+ chance that he will get injured at some point during the season (based on his history), to the point of missing games.
Translated, there is probably a 90%+ chance that JJM will be rushed into starting, for his chance to prove his ability to perform, to prove his durability and ability to play through adversity. In the end, it's still going to be his job to lose.
Just the way I see it. I still say there is a 50% chance JJ will be the starting QB in 2027.
AND, JJM provides leverage in any future negotiations with km if he does play well. You let JJ go, you are writing that check for whatever figure KMs agent comes up with.
Why isn't Chuck Foreman in the Hall of Fame?
medaille wrote:
Pretty much it. Gotta keep churning out that content.
That's the thing. They know how to get engagement from the sheep online, its formulaic. Disingenuous. Contrived.
Politically and sport-wise, the content has never been dumber or more manipulative. I feel like a miner in the sports stream online looking for a speck of gold in a river of sewage.
JimmyinSD wrote:
AND, JJM provides leverage in any future negotiations with km if he does play well. You let JJ go, you are writing that check for whatever figure KMs agent comes up with.
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.
rf54 wrote:
Why? because he is the only QB on the roster with upside.
I was not a fan of him in '25, but he certainly can make corrections and progress into a top 10 QB. He was clearly rushed into the job.Needs to learn to stay healthy.
Agreed on the first part.
But how exactly do you “learn to stay healthy”? He came into the NFL with virtually no injury history despite playing both football and hockey, which are two of the most physical sports out there.
Sometimes injuries are preventable. Sometimes they’re just football. There's a reason one of the plays he sustained an injury (ankle) is supposed to be considered a penalty (hip-drop tackle). It's truly amazing to me that more QBs don't get more hand injuries as a result to hands hitting helmets after throwing and guys aren't blowing out knees/shins with opponents diving, helmet first into the legs.
hogjowlsjohnny wrote:
Just the way I see it. I still say there is a 50% chance JJ will be the starting QB in 2027.
Agree. I think there's a near zero percent chance JJ wins the starting job this year, but there's a whole different math involved next year. If Murray plays like most of us think he's going to play, he's going to get a massive contract. Most people seem to think the Vikings won't pull another Darnold and let him walk, but I think they just might. Obviously, JJ has to perform well when he gets an opportunity, but I think he's going to give the Vikings something to think about.
"The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it”
I can't understand all the dismissive assumptions about JJM "losing" the job. Kyler has disappeared in big games, his accuracy numbers are hugely assisted by dump-offs to TE (or slants, something our coach will hopefully discover), and has basically been several years of disappointment...granted, on a team that can be described the same way.
I don't pretend to know who's starting Week 1, but JJM made strides in a turmultuous season, and immediately went to work with QB coaches when his hand healed. He's not as mobile as Kyler...well, as we THINK post-injury Kyler is...but, he's still pretty damned elusive and showed that ability repeatedly.
Plus, he can see over the OL...which is part joke, but not entirely.
He's got more time in KOC's system, and one thing that's not brought up enough: KOC loves timing routes, so does Jettas...Kyler makes his reels in improvisation.
We'll all see, but I think the "90% Kyler" assumptions are curious, to say the least.
KOC, JJM, Flores...make a good plan, or you'll be following Kwesi....
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