NFL Rumors: JJ McCarthy's fall continues and Steelers bold QB plans

Two weeks into the NFL preseason, there are still plenty of wide-open position battles and unclaimed roster spots. Wins and losses don't really matter this time of year, but every individual performance carries weight as GMs look to finalize their 53-man plans and coaches seek to put the best product on the field.

Let's dive into the latest rumors from around the league, this time focused on quarterbacks in flux.

J.J. McCarthy is at risk of Vikings trade or demotion

• Carson Wentz is threatening J.J. McCarthy for Vikings' QB2 job
• Minnesota could 'field a few trade calls'

J.J. McCarthy once again struggled in Minnesota's 13-3 loss to Baltimore over the weekend. The third-young QB completed 5-of-10 passes for 81 yards and threw an interception. McCarthy completed an impressive 50-yard pass to Tai Felton in the first quarter, but otherwise failed to establish a rhyhtm. He also missed multiple wide-open receivers, including a muffed throw to the end zone, which sailed over Myles Price's outstretched arms.

McCarthy has already lost the starting job to Kyler Murray, but now it's fair to wonder if he might not even serve as Minnesota's primary backup. Carson Wentz has performed well throughout training camp and the preseason. He's far more established in the NFL than McCarthy, with undeniable arm talent and a solid command of the Kevin O'Connell offense.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler openly wondered about McCarthy's future on SportsCenter:

"Is he QB2 in Minnesota or is he QB3? Because they do have Carson Wentz. So, could the Minnesota Vikings field a few trade calls? A lot could happen. They have to decide what McCarthy's role is on the team."

The Vikings invested a top-10 pick in McCarthy and were extremely bullish on his development for the longest time, even after he missed his entire rookie season with an ankle injury. But opportunity is a fickle friend in the NFL, and the Vikings are clearly beginning to lose patience with McCarthy. His lack of experience relative to other top draft picks was a common talking point pre-draft, and it shows on the tape. He's hurried under pressure and inconsistent with his decision-making.

Wentz is not-so-subtly the better quarterback right now. If the Vikings want to keep McCarthy in the backup role for optics, that's one thing. But if Minnesota is playing the field as it lays, trading McCarthy — or banishing him to the end of the bench — might be the most logical path forward.

Steelers plan to take both Will Howard and Drew Allar into regular season

• Drew Allar and Will Howard will both survive Steelers' 53-man roster cutoff despite scoreless outings against Jets
• Mason Rudolph could be a trade candidate if Mike McCarthy believes in Steelers' young QBs

The Steelers will enter the regular season with at least three quarterbacks tapped for a roster spot, per Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac. Aaron Rodgers (duh) will start, while rookie and second-year QBs Drew Allar and Will Howard will both stick around. The only question remaining: does Mason Rudolph survive until Week 1?

Dulac says the "question remains," as Rudolph — whose contract expires at the end of the season — could end up in trade talks, should head coach Mike McCarthy decide he's comfortable with Allar and Howard as his backup options. Rodgers is set to retire at season's end, so presumably Allar and Howard will be among those competing for the starting job come 2027.

Both Howard and Allar struggled in Pittsburgh's shutout loss to New York over the weekend, with Howard looking particularly rough en route to two interceptions. Allar was not very efficient, but he still managed to build on the hype from his debut last week. The third-round pick out of Penn State delivered a couple eye-catching throws, including this dart down the sideline under pressure.

Allar's immense physical tools and rapid mechanical improvement give him the allure of a potential down-the-road starter. Howard has given far less tangible evidence of his potential, but the former national champ from Ohio State is clearly well-liked in the clubhouse, with the sort of leadership qualities that could endear him to teammates as a backup.

Jets could bump rookie Cade Klubnik to QB2

• Geno Smith is throwing 'the mess' out of the football
• Jets 'like what they see' from rookie Cade Klubnik and could name him QB2

The New York Jets are hoping to improve upon the misery of last season, with Aaron Glenn transparantly coaching for his job. One of their major upgrades: signing Geno Smith at quarterback. So far, the veteran gunslinger has performed well in camp, throwing "the mess" out of the ball, as sources behind the scene told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler (h/t Bleacher Report).

Smith's arm talent is special, but he led the NFL in interceptions last season. How much of that was age-related regression, and how much of it was the terrible supporting cast in Las Vegas, is a question the Jets hope to find a favorable answer to.

Behind Smith, veterans Billy Cook and Bailey Zappe are competing with incoming fourth-round pick Cade Klubnik for the QB2 job. The Jets "like what they see" from Klubnik, according to Fowler, and the "signs are good so far."

Klubnik did not win many brownie points with his performance against the Steelers over the weekend, completing 10-of-14 passes for 75 yards and taking two sacks. Zappe (6-of-8 for 68 yards) and Cook (1-of-2 for 31 yards and a touchdown) both led more fruitful drives in fewer reps. Still, Klubnik looks sharp, as he often did at Clemson. His youth and potential could sway a Jets team still very much looking toward the future.

In all likelihood, the Jets will carry Zappe and Klubnik on the regular season roster, with Cook the most likely cut candidate. Whether or not Klubnik can leapfrog the most established Zappe for the backup gig, however, probably depends on his performance across New York's final two preseason games.

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