J.J. McCarthy’s path with the Vikings has taken another turn, and this one leaves him even further down the quarterback ladder.
Minnesota once moved up in the 2024 NFL Draft to land McCarthy, who arrived with the expectation that he would eventually grow into the team’s next franchise quarterback. That hasn’t happened yet, and the latest depth-chart decision only adds to the uncertainty around his spot in the organization.
After Minnesota’s third preseason game, McCarthy was a talking point because he was held out entirely, which led some to wonder whether the Vikings might move on from him through a trade or even a waiver situation. He stayed put, though, and Kevin O’Connell continued to say McCarthy still had a place in the mix.
That picture changed on Wednesday. O’Connell told reporters that Carson Wentz is now QB2 behind Kyler Murray, which drops McCarthy to QB3 to start the season. O’Connell said it remains a week-to-week call, but for Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, he believes this arrangement gives Minnesota the best chance to win unless Murray gets hurt.
It’s the second time McCarthy has been pushed down this year. Once the Vikings signed Murray on a veteran minimum deal, O’Connell said there was an open competition at quarterback and that the best player would earn the job. In reality, Murray had already separated himself in the race.
McCarthy’s preseason didn’t help his case. He struggled with accuracy and was overfiring targets, while Murray’s short stint was solid enough to secure the starting job for the season.
Now the question is whether McCarthy can climb back up as the year goes on, or whether he stays stuck in the same place on the depth chart.
In Other News...
Vikings Lose Tight End Depth At Worst Possible Time
The Vikings have had to shuffle their roster at a spot where they could least afford any more thinning. Minnesota placed tight end Ben Yurosek on injured reserve, a move that takes away a piece of the depth chart just as the team is settling into the 2026 season. To make room, the Vikings also released safety Kahlef Hailassie from the practice squad.
Yuroseks injury is not expected to be long-term, so this looks more like a setback than a season-changing loss. Even so, it leaves Minnesota leaning more heavily on its veteran pair of T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver for the time being, and the Vikings will be hoping Yurosek can work his way back later in the year when the tight end group could use the help most. [Read more 🡒]
J.J. McCarthy's Vikings Standing Just Took An Alarming Turn
Kevin O'Connells Week 1 quarterback decision offered a clear look at how Minnesota is lining up behind starter Kyler Murray, and it was not the place J.J. McCarthy likely expected to be. Carson Wentz is set as the backup for the Packers game, leaving McCarthy third on the depth chart after a rough 2025 season that saw him finish last in several passing categories.
For a player who arrived with real long-term intrigue, the immediate message is hard to ignore: the Vikings are prioritizing stability for the opener, while McCarthys path back will have to come through performance and circumstance. Injury concerns around Murray and Wentz could still create an opening during the 2026 season, but for now McCarthy is waiting much farther down the line than anyone in Minnesota would have hoped. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Just Sent A Troubling Early Message About J.J. McCarthy
Kevin OConnells Week 1 quarterback decision sent an early signal about where J.J. McCarthy stands as the season opens. The Vikings head coach said McCarthy will open as the No. 3 quarterback behind Carson Wentz, a notable shift from the earlier plan that had the young passer slotted in as the backup.
The move adds another layer to an offseason that has already brought questions around McCarthys ankle injury and the chatter about his future in Minnesota. Even with the opener still ahead, the Vikings have made it clear their depth chart is not set in the way many expected, and McCarthy now has more to prove before he can climb back into the conversation. [Read more 🡒]