JJ McCarthy‘s future with the Minnesota Vikings remains one of the biggest talking points of the summer. After losing out on the starting quarterback job to Kyler Murray , experts believe the Vikings should explore trade options for the former Michigan man.
Veteran analyst Chris Brockman, on the latest episode of the Rich Eisen Show, suggested that the Vikings should trade McCarthy to another team.
Go get a third-round pick for [JJ McCarthy] from Pittsburgh, or any of these other teams that have older quarterbacks near the end of the line.
Brockman said
McCarthy began the 2025 season as the .But a run of lackluster performances cost him his QB1 status. Veteran Carson Wentz stepped in for a few weeks, and even rookie Max Brosmer had a solid run. The Vikings finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.
In the offseason, the Vikings signed free agent Kyler Murray. The former first overall draft pick instantly became the favorite to win the starter’s job. But until the end of .
As the installs piled up, you’d see a little bit of a slowdown. From a processing standpoint, it would then, maybe the next day, there was an immediate response. And just some of those things bode really well for his role now as we lock in on this thing and try to do the best we can to prepare [Kyler Murray].
O’Connell said (H/T AtoZ Sports)
McCarthy wasn’t viewed as a top quarterback prospect heading into the 2024 NFL Draft even though he led the Michigan Wolverines to an unbeaten season and won the College Football National Championship. So, eyebrows were raised when the Vikings drafted McCarthy 10th overall.
McCarthy capped off a couple of impressive preseason performances, but right before week one, he suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee. The Vikings placed him on season-ending IR. McCarthy underwent surgery and entered rehab.
Ahead of year two, the Vikings ditched the chance to sign Aaron Rodgers and put their faith in McCarthy. McCarthy finished with a 6-4 record, but completed 57.6% of his passes (among the worst in the league) for 1632 yards, 15 total touchdowns and 12 picks.
Even though O’Connell stuck by McCarthy, he still signed Murray on a one-year deal, and now he has won the starter’s job, leaving McCarthy’s career in limbo. And yet, the 23-year-old wants to stick around in Minnesota and fight for a chance to take back the QB1 status.
This is the place I want to be. And I love every single person in this building. I love the state. I love the fanbase. And I’m going to continue to just do whatever I can for this team and this organization.
McCarthy said via Kevin Seifert of ESPN
Despite losing the job, McCarthy has no .In fact, he respects the Heisman Trophy winner.
Yeah, he’s just one of my teammates that I care for and respect and just like all my teammates in that locker room. So, it’s about just doing whatever I can for the room and this team and moving forward.
McCarthy said
The Vikings’ trio of preseason matches kicks off on Saturday against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. According to Seifert, before boarding the plane to the Big Apple, the Vikings held a short practice. O’Connell also declared that both Murray and McCarthy would feature against the Giants.