It has been claimed that after just one season, the Minnesota Vikings are out on JJ McCarthy as their quarterback of the future.
The Vikings drafted him in 2024 but McCarthy missed his first season with the team after sustaining a knee injury in practice.
When he finally made it onto the field in 2025 he should flourishes of what convinced his team to take him with their 10th pick but scrutiny has remained over his prospects longer term.
And now, according to Tony Pauline and Essentially Sports, the Vikings are exploring what a future with a different quarterback could mean.
A report on Saturday claimed ‘multiple league sources’ from the NFL Combine were aware of the Vikings looking for a way to trade McCarthy and move on in a different path.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has been widely expected to recruit a more experienced signal caller to compete with McCarthy but now, Saturday’s reporting suggests there might be a shift in approach.
It has been claimed that the Minnesota Vikings are looking to trade quarterback JJ McCarthy
The Vikings took McCarthy with the 10th pick of the NFL Draft back in 2024
The Vikings ended the 2025 campaign without postseason football, finishing with a 9-8 record in the NFC South.
McCarthy struggled again with injury, too. He had an ankle sprain in Week 2 and a concussion in Week 12, before a hairline fracture in his hand ended his season early.
But still, trading him would be a drastic move, especially given head coach O’Connell’s reputation as a fine quarterback mentor.
The Vikings allowed Sam Darnold to leave in 2025 after spending the season deputizing in place of McCarthy.
Minnesota’s loss was the gain of the Seattle Seahawks, with Darnold leading the team to Super Bowl glory as they beat New England Patriots in Santa Clara, California in February.
Kirk Cousins had been linked to the Vikings as the more experienced quarterback that could compete with McCarthy.
Otherwise, Malik Willis – the former Green Bay Packers backup – is the most eye-catching option available in free agency. His contract demands, however, would mean that any team signing him would be doing so to use him as a starter.
