The Minnesota Vikings will start Kyler Murray at quarterback come Week 1 — and all season, if everything goes as planned. That bumps J.J. McCarthy to the backup role entering his third NFL campaign, which is only his second active campaign. A former top-10 pick, the Vikings clearly saw something in McCarthy, who won a national title at Michigan. Unfortunately, inexperience and injuries have (so far) done him in.
Also of note: Carson Wentz looks like an objectively better backup at this stage. McCarthy would probably be the Vikings' QB3 if all other factors were equal (they are not, obviously). That could inspire the Vikings to trade McCarthy, especially with such a deep upcoming draft class at the position. Even if the Vikings end up picking in the late 20s, odds are they can find a rookie quarterback they like more than McCarthy next spring. Plus, if Minnesota does in fact pick that late, they'd probably be keen to extend Murray.
It's never ideal to trade a young quarterback at a low point in value, but here's what the Vikings can expect from a late-August trade sweepstakes.
Chargers trade package for J.J. McCarthy
We often underrate the value of schematic fit and personnel in boosting a quarterback's value, even if he does not see the field much. The Chargers would view McCarthy strictly as a backup — not a potential successor to Justin Herbert. The latter is still fairly young and durable. But pairing McCarthy with Jim Harbaugh, his former head coach at Michigan, is a positive next step. We know Harbaugh believes in McCarthy, maybe more than any coach in the NFL. Mike McDaniel is also one of the best play-callers in football.
Even if McCarthy never starts a game, the Chargers give him a chance to be around a winning team with a strong offensive identity. He can study at Herbert's altar, learning tricks of the trade from one of the most electric, well-rounded gunslingers in the NFL. McDaniel gets his receivers out in space, with room to run, better than any OC out there. Ladd McConkey is so sharp, so versatile in his route-running. Of course McCarthy would benefit from throwing to him on occasion.
There's plenty of talent in Minnesota, of course, and Kevin O'Connell is no slouch with the playbook. But McCarthy clearly needs a change of scenery and, frankly, a chance to breathe. There would be less pressure in L.A. — just a chance to take it slow with coaches who believe in him.
Trey Lance can give the Vikings more of the dual-threat skill set that Murray provides, allowing them to keep roughly the same playbook if his number is ever called.
Browns trade package for J.J. McCarthy
Look, as bad as McCarthy was last season ... he's probably Cleveland's best quarterback on day one. Deshaun Watson would still start Week 1, but McCarthy would almost certainly finish the season under center. The Browns are stuck choosing between an injury-prone turnover machine on a gaudy contract in Watson, and a second-year quarterback with little more than name recognition on his NFL résumé in Shedeur Sanders.
Cleveland would probably rather trade Dillon Gabriel than Sanders at this point, but Minnesota needs a viable backup and Sanders has at least shown some inkling of potential. It's hard to overstate how much his circumstances would improve in Minnesota, with O'Connell calling the shots and Justin Jefferson lined up out wide. Sanders can serve as Murray's understudy with hopes of competing for the job in 2027.
McCarthy, like most quarterbacks, probably won't benefit from playing in Cleveland. That's a bad situation for even the most competent of . But, it does give him a chance to play, which clearly is something McCarthy values. If he wants a chance to break through, rather than holding an iPad on the sidelines and running the second unit in practice, Cleveland is the best spot.
Falcons trade package for J.J. McCarthy
The Falcons look great on paper, except for the quarterback position. A tale as old as time — uh, well, at least as old as the post-Matt Ryan era. Tua Tagovailoa fumbled his first snap of the preseason, which felt a little too on the nose. He will probably start Week 1 over Michael Penix Jr., who's still recovering from his latest knee injury, but neither southpaw inspires much confidence.
Ironically, Penix was drafted two spots ahead of McCarthy in 2024, which came as a massive surprise — not necessarily that he was first off the board, but that Atlanta picked him mere weeks after signing Kirk Cousins to a nine-figure contract. Penix has shown some flashes here and there, but he's allergic to the middle of the field. His skill set is limited in scope. The Falcons probably aren't swapping Penix for McCarthy at this point, but trading Tagovailoa — letting McCarthy and Penix compete for the job before a potential breakup around the 2027 draft — could make sense. Atlanta is loaded with playmakers and can lean on the run game, which should help both quarterbacks limit damage.
The Vikings probably look to target a quarterback in the 2027 draft, too. Between Murray, Tagovailoa and Wentz, Minnesota would have a lot of experience in their QB room for the next year. O'Connell tends to draw up plenty of quick-hitters and this team's receivers can get open, which benefits Tagovailoa. He's a pass-first point guard. He hits singles. In football terms, Tagovailoa is there to make the first read, to get the ball out quickly and let his receivers cook in the open field. So long as the Vikings don't ask Tagovailoa to improvise and stretch the defense, he can be a functional emergency option.
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