J.J. McCarthy survived Minnesota’s cutdown-day math, but that doesn’t mean he’s long for the Vikings.
The quarterback room in Minnesota has already been a moving target, and the latest roster squeeze only sharpened the question around McCarthy. The Vikings initially carried four quarterbacks, then trimmed to three after Max Brosmer was cut on Monday. That left McCarthy as the odd man out in a group that now includes Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz, with Murray having already won the starting job and Wentz positioned to battle for QB2.
Still, cutting McCarthy just because he lost the competition would have been a strange move. He’s 23, he was taken 10th overall, and he still carries more trade value than a typical third-string quarterback. If no one is willing to pay a worthwhile price, the sensible play is to keep him around and let the development continue.
That was the argument Chris Long of KSTP made Sunday: “If you couldn’t/can’t get value in a trade, keep him…”
That logic makes sense, especially when the market is this fluid. Quarterback situations change fast once the season starts. A starter goes down with an ACL tear, a contender realizes its backup isn’t up to the job, or a team that expected to contend stumbles out of the gate at 1-4 because the whole room falls apart.
That’s where McCarthy’s value could really pop.
Trade talk already came up during the preseason, with the most obvious connection being a possible reunion with former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. And McCarthy never really pushed Murray, especially after injuries and inconsistency slowed him in 2025.
So Minnesota kept him, and that part of the decision makes sense. There was no reason to simply give him away.
The bigger question is what happens next. The Vikings may end up turning someone else’s quarterback crisis into their own trade opportunity, and McCarthy could eventually be wearing a different uniform.
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Vikings Are Sending A Clear Message About J.J. McCarthy
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McCarthys availability has become part of the larger conversation around Minnesotas plans, especially with the organization continuing to talk up his talent and development. For now, the message from the front office is clear enough: the team believes he is moving in the right direction, and the real test will come when the roster is set for the Packers. [Read more 🡒]
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Murrays arrival has shifted the spotlight in a way that may actually suit him, since he has been able to work through training camp with less media scrutiny than McCarthy drew as the franchise hopeful. For a Vikings team that has seen past success in seasons shaped by quarterback uncertainty, the current dynamic creates an opening that few fans expected, and it leaves McCarthys next chapter very much in play. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings May Already Have C.J. Hams Successor In Place
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Enter Max Bredeson, the fifth-round pick who already looks like a logical fit for that job. He is expected to bring the kind of blocking and versatility the Vikings value, and his ability to work in heavy packages alongside T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver gives Minnesota some flexibility as it shifts toward a more run-heavy approach. The question now is less about whether the role will be filled and more about how quickly Bredeson can make it his own. [Read more 🡒]