Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Minnesota Vikings face a pivotal decision between Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy that could reshape their franchise direction.
- Several NFL teams are positioning themselves to acquire McCarthy if the Vikings decide to trade their former top-10 draft pick.
- The next few weeks of preseason play will determine whether McCarthy remains a developmental project or becomes a valuable trade chip for contending teams.
The Minnesota Vikings' quarterback competition remains one of the summer's hottest storylines. Kyler Murray feels like the obvious candidate to take over a Vikings offense in dire need, but Minnesota did invest a top-10 pick in McCarthy just two years ago. It would behoove Minnesota's coaching staff, and especially its front office, to develop the Michigan champion into a serviceable NFL starter.
If the Vikings end up opting for Murray's experience and unique dual-threat traits, McCarthy becomes an intriguing trade candidate. His "rookie" season was a disaster, and the ankle injuries add another layer of concern, but McCarthy has tons of natural talent. Maybe another team believes it can develop him in ways Minnesota, with its win-now pressure, simply could not.
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta is basically in the same boat as Minnesota: Michael Penix Jr., a 2024 first-round pick, is attempting to fend off Tua Tagovailoa, a former high-paid veteran just released from his prior obligations due to lackluster performance. Tagovailoa has a sturdy track record, but concussions and turnover problems tanked his final two years in Miami.
Penix, selected two spots ahead of McCarthy at No. 8 in the 2024 draft, is coming back from a major knee injury — the latest in a worrying string of major knee injuries that have impacted him since early in his college career. Frankly, neither Tagovailoa nor Penix inspire much confidence at this point. Both are limited in their ability to operate outside the pocket and beholden to certain schematic principles.
If the Falcons reach a certain point in the preseason and don't feel good about their QB options, a late flier on McCarthy could be worthwhile. He probably doesn't suit up Week 1, but developing McCarthy on the back burner and waiting to flip that switch if things go south around their bye week could be a fruitful strategy.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh plainly believes in 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, who has a longstanding connection to new head coach Mike McCarthy. Then again, he's 42 and has already vowed to retire after this season. That is not a long-term solution, and Pittsburgh may be too competitive to land a top quarterback prospect in the loaded 2027 NFL Draft.
The Steelers could view McCarthy as a worthy successor. There is clear organizational faith in Will Howard, a sixth-round pick in 2025. Drew Allar was selected in the fourth round in April. That said, neither has the same prospect pedigree as McCarthy. Howard is a very sturdy, point guard-like QB. Allar is more of a wild card, both immensely talented and incredibly reckless.
McCarthy needs a ton of refinement, but he's a reasonable upside swing who could learn a thing or two from Rodgers on the four-time MVP's way out the door.
New York Jets
The Jets quarterback room is rather depressing, so we needn't dwell on it too much. Geno Smith was brought in after a catastrophic year in Las Vegas to, um, "stabilize" a young offense. Aaron Glenn is very clearly coaching for his job, so the Jets will attempt to round into contending shape this season. Of course, nothing from last year gives one confidence in their ability to win more than four games. New York will be vying for Arch Manning's services in 2027.
Beyond Smith, the depth chart features Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook — two formerly undrafted free agents with more career interceptions than touchdowns — and Cade Klubnik, a fourth-round pick in April whose stock plummeted after a letdown senior campaign at Clemson.
Klubnik is not untalented, and he could work his way into a position to start football games this season, but that speaks more to the dire state of New York's roster than anything else. Smith led the NFL with 17 interceptions in 15 starts with Vegas. It really feels like the wheels have fallen off. If New York does not feel great about its options, taking a swing on McCarthy's development isn't the worst imaginable use of resources.
Houston Texans
CJ Stroud is still the undisputed QB1 in Houston, but questions continue to swirl regarding his future with the organization. The former No. 2 pick is due for a hefty contract extension, and after another postseason flameout, it's unclear if the Texans actually feel confident enough to hand Stroud his desired paycheck. That could get messy.
If the Texans want to put off Stroud's extension and keep their options open, trading for McCarthy and developing him in the shadows, just in case, could prove logical. The Texans are equipped with a monster defense and a very talented supporting cast on offense. Certainly there's enough talent there to put McCarthy in a winning context.
Stroud was mostly solid last season, but he completely combusted under the lights. He's talented but inconsistent, and it's becoming less and less clear that he's the man for the job. Houston almost certainly will not be in a position to draft a premium quarterback next spring, so taking on McCarthy as a long-term play feels like a viable path.
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona is mired in contract negotiations with Jacoby Brissett, who wants a healthy raise despite his journeyman status. And look, Brissett was quite effective last season despite the Cardinals' overall struggles, and he's a perfectly fine stopgap until Arizona can either develop Carson Beck, their third-round pick, or draft his replacement in 2027. The Cards also brought in Gardner Minshew this offseason, a former Pro Bowler with ample starting experience.
If Brissett's contract situation becomes untenable, however, Arizona could be moved to consider a flier on McCarthy. This is very clearly a team angling for the future, regardless of your confidence level in Mike LaFleur as a play-caller and Jeremiyah Love as an offensive skeleton key. Beck, for all his talent, never quite looked the same after his elbow injury and does not feel like a quarterback you can trust to consistently start NFL games in 2026.
The Cardinals invested in the right type of head coach to develop McCarthy and put him in a position to succeed, at least schematically. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiyah Love are two talented young playmakers on McCarthy's timeline, who he can grow alongside. It makes sense on paper. Arizona needs to figure out the Brissett situation, but he's not in their long-term plans anyway. Few teams can offer McCarthy a clearer path to starting reps.
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