It's unclear what the Minnesota Vikings plan is with former first-round pick JJ McCarthy, but we can safely assume the Michigan product will not be starting at quarterback come Week 1. Rather, that job was given to Kyler Murray weeks ago, and to make matters worse, Minnesota could be eyeing veteran QB Carson Wentz as the backup.
So, where does that leave JJ? There are any number of teams that could use a more reliable backup, but we're not sure that word applies to McCarthy. Thus, that takes most contenders out the mix as a plausible trade option. Thankfully for McCarthy, the Miami Dolphins are anything but a contender. Rather, Jeff Hafley is take a sledgehammer to this renovation. Miami signed Malik Willis, but he is young and unproven as a starting QB. Should Willis fall on his face, who better to take the reigns than another failed franchise QB in McCarthy? Surely one of them has some potential left.
What a Dolphins trade for JJ McCarthy would look like
The good news for Miami (if they're indeed interested in McCarthy) is that their draft picks carry a bit more weight. The Dolphins are expected to stink this season, meaning they'll be picking near the top of each round. So, a fourth-round pick from Miami means more than a fourth rounder from, say, the Baltimore Ravens, suggested by FanSided's Zach Rotman as a possible landing spot for McCarthy.
Honestly, even this might be a bit high for McCarthy, but the former first-round pick is still just 23 years old, younger than some of the prospects coming out of college next year. McCarthy has started just 10 games in the NFL. Kevin O'Connell thought highly enough of JJ to take him in the top-10 in a loaded quarterback class. Did the Vikings really whiff that bad?
Would the Dolphins make this trade?
The Vikings have a trick up their sleeve. Whether it's McCarthy or a different quarterback, there's no way Miami is heading into the season with just Willis under center on their depth chart. The Dolphins traded Quinn Ewers and dumped fellow QB Cam Miller. Willis is a dual-threat quarterback, which is exciting but also makes him prone to hard contact. Even if Miami intends to tank this season, they'll need someone reliable behind Willis just in case. I might recommend a veteran backup — which McCarthy is not — but I also wouldn't be tanking as heavily as Jon-Eric Sullivan.
The draft compensation is a lot, even for a former first rounder. Miami could add solid depth in what's expected to be a deep draft class come 2027 rather than taking a chance on a soon-to-be retread QB. Yet, quarterback is the most important position in football. If the Dolphins don't have one of those, that depth won't mean squat.
Verdict: Yes
Would the Vikings make this trade?
If KOC doesn't believe in McCarthy at this juncture, then what was the point of selecting him in the first place? JJ missed his rookie season with an injury, and struggled in what would've amounted to his first year under center (though he only played 10 games). McCarthy's never been gifted the opportunity to learn on the fly, in part because the Vikings are a perennial postseason threat. O'Connell got tired of waiting. Murray is a better option, and even Wentz is more reliable.
Dumping a former first-round pick is never easy. Still, the Dolphins fourth rounder is essentially a late Day 2 pick (since it could very well be the first pick in that round). The Vikings are a quarterback away from making the postseason, which is why their decision to draft McCarthy, and punt on Kirk Cousins and eventually Sam Darnold, all the more confusing. That is neither here nor there.
Verdict: Sure, why not
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