The Minnesota Vikings’ decision to bring Max Brosmer back on a practice squad deal has sparked another round of J.J. McCarthy speculation, but one team insider believes the backup quarterback is probably staying right where he is.
On the latest edition of his YouTube show, Alec Lewis of The Athletic said the market may not be nearly as eager to absorb McCarthy as some reports have suggested. Lewis pointed to recent quarterback trades involving Kyle McCord and Quinn Ewers, both of whom fetched sixth-round picks, and noted that McCarthy comes with a much tougher financial setup.
“Kyle McCord, who was a backup with the Packers, was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a sixth-round pick,” Lewis explained, per Eduardo Razo of Heavy. “He has more years of control than J.J.
McCarthy remaining. He’s also coming at a lower cost than J.J.
McCarthy. Quinn Ewers is in the same circumstance, where he was traded from Miami to Jacksonville for a sixth-round pick.
He’s got more years of control than J.J. McCarthy and doesn’t cost as much as J.J.
McCarthy. So, part of the impediment, or the barrier, to a trade for the Vikings and J.J.
McCarthy is really a twofold proposition. The first fold of it, to stick with that verbiage, is that J.J.
McCarthy is owed $5.5M in guaranteed money over this year and next year.”
That price tag matters because McCarthy’s standing around the league has not exactly surged. He lost the Vikings’ starting competition to Kyler Murray before the team even played a preseason game, and recent reports have said the 2024 first-round pick is expected to begin the upcoming season as Minnesota’s QB3 behind Carson Wentz. Jason La Canfora also reported in a Casino.org piece published Tuesday that McCarthy’s trade value is “considered low.”
Lewis went a step further, suggesting that teams may not even view McCarthy as an obvious QB2 option heading into 2026.
“[$5.5 million] is backup-level money for a player that I don’t believe many throughout the NFL believe is worthy of a backup spot right now,” Lewis continued. “And that’s most likely validated by the Vikings’ choice.
They haven’t made this public at this point to make Carson Wentz the No. 2 behind Kyler Murray. So, to pay a potential QB3 $5.5M, which is backup-level money, that has dissuaded some teams from being interested in sending extra draft capital to then do that, if that makes sense.”
McCarthy’s path to this point has been uneven. He missed his entire rookie season while recovering from a full meniscus repair, then struggled to make much of an impression across 10 starts last season. Still, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell reportedly “wants to keep working with” McCarthy and does not appear eager to waive or trade him.
For now, the signs point to McCarthy staying in Minnesota, with the Vikings set to open the season at home against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13.
In Other News...
Kyler Murray Could Change How The Vikings Offense Really Looks
Kyler Murrays rise as Arizonas starting quarterback has a ripple effect in Minnesota, where the Vikings are watching the way his game keeps expanding. General manager Nolan Teasley pointed to Murrays improved anticipation, his ability to fit throws into tight windows and the work he has done at the line of scrimmage, all while still leaning on the mobility that has always made him dangerous. For a Vikings offense under Kevin OConnell that is built on timing and footwork, that kind of growth is the sort of trait that can change how a team has to defend him.
Murray won the starting job on August 11, and the early signs from practices and preseason games suggest there is real progress behind the buzz. The question for Minnesota is whether those flashes become something more dependable once the games count, because the Vikings know how quickly a quarterback who can win from the pocket and off schedule can alter the feel of an offense. For now, the evidence points to a player still adding layers, with the next step likely to say a lot about just how different that attack can look. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Just Sent A Clear Message About Who Leads This Team
The Vikings have set their leadership group for the 2026 season, naming eight team captains as they continue to lean on a core that blends proven veterans with fresh voices. Five of those captains are back from last year, and the group gives head coach Kevin OConnell and his staff a clear snapshot of where the locker rooms authority now sits.
Quarterback Kyler Murray is among the new additions, taking over the offensive captain spot previously held by J.J. McCarthy. He joins Brian ONeill, Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones Sr., Josh Metellus, Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel and long snapper Andrew DePaola, all of whom will wear the C and carry added responsibility as the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Quarterback Drama Is Creating An Opening Few Fans Expected
The quarterback conversation in Minnesota has shifted again, and this time it is Kyler Murray who has stepped into the middle of it. General manager Nolan Teasley recently addressed questions about J.J. McCarthys future, making clear that the first-round picks story is still being written after just 10 starts, even as the job has moved elsewhere and the attention around the position keeps building.
Murrays situation looks different from McCarthys in one important way: he has been able to work through training camp with far less media scrutiny. There is a real chance that the noise surrounding McCarthy ends up working in Murrays favor, giving him room to settle in while the debate continues around him, much like some past Vikings teams that found success while the quarterback picture stayed unsettled. [Read more 🡒]