Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings found their quarterback for 2026, even if they are telling media insiders like Tom Pelissero that Kyler Murray will have to compete with JJ McCarthy for the starting quarterback job.
In all reality, Murray doesn’t come here unless he sees it as the best path to playing time, and to showcase a 2.0 version of his QB self. If he falls behind McCarthy on the depth chart, his future is suddenly up in the air.
So unless Kyler suffers an injury or something goes uncategorically wrong between now and week one of the 2026 season, K1 will be the Vikings 2026 starter from day one. And despite what they are selling publicly, Vikings brass is proving as much with their actions.
Kyler Murray at his worst has been better than what the Vikings’ collective QBs produced last year. https://t.co/s6ldAlVLWO
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) March 13, 2026
Signing a 28-year-old quarterback with two Pro Bowl appearances sent a message to McCarthy. Kyler Murray isn’t a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, 37-year-old Kirk Cousins or 35-year-old Geno Smith. He isn’t here to hold a spot for JJ McCarthy. Kyler is coming here with one sole purpose of taking his job.
Could Minnesota Vikings be open to JJ McCarthy trade?
And given the minute odds that McCarthy actually pulls off a miracle and starts over Murray come week one, it’s worth wondering if the Minnesota Vikings might consider trading their former No. 10 overall pick, just to rip the band-aid off? To that, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis writes that it “can’t be ruled out”.
Should a team out there come to the Vikings with a trade offer requisite of McCarthy’s age and talent level, Minnesota would have no choice but to seriously consider cutting ties. Additionally, and more likely, would be McCarthy’s camp requesting the MN Vikings to seek a trade.
Would the Vikings consider trading McCarthy?
This cannot be completely ruled out. Two factors matter in the overall calculus: How perturbed are McCarthy and his camp by the Murray signing? And what would other teams offer?
Trading McCarthy would leave no murkiness around the hierarchy in the quarterback room. The Vikings invested too much in McCarthy, though, to pull the plug for anything other than top-tier compensation.
McCarthy seeking another destination could introduce a different layer of decision-making. Minnesota likes to respond amicably to players’ desires (i.e., Jonathan Greenard’s trade circumstances). But leverage tends to matter in these situations, too, and McCarthy remains under contract for at least two more seasons.
Another telling clue that the Vikings don’t have the faith they declare publicly in McCarthy? The fact that they aren’t finished bringing in competent quarterbacks…
MN Vikings looking to add more talent to QB room
As previously reported, Alec Lewis confirmed at The Athletic on Friday that the Minnesota Vikings remain interested in bringing Carson Wentz back into the quarterback room for the 2026 season, in case Murray were to get hurt and McCarthy remains unqualified.
If Wentz gets healthy and finds a better opportunity elsewhere, Lewis sees KOC turning his attention to veterans further down the QB totem pole, specifically 38-year-old Andy Dalton as their next target, followed by Tyrod Taylor (36) — should they get that desperate.
Related: MN Vikings WR Fires Stray at Patriots CB on Social Media
But Lewis doesn’t stop there. He even leaves the door open for O’Connell to add yet another young, promising quarterback into the MN Vikings’ 2026 QB mix. Specifically, he names both Anthony Richardson (23) and Zach Wilson (26) as guys the Minnesota Vikings might target.
Will the Vikings think about adding another veteran QB behind Murray?
It would be a surprise if the Vikings didn’t…
…Carson Wentz, who played 300 snaps for the Vikings in 2025, would be the likeliest candidate. There is familiarity and mutual interest between the two sides. If Wentz were to sign elsewhere, the Vikings could turn to Andy Dalton, whom the Panthers may be willing to part with after signing Kenny Pickett.
Other veterans, like Tyrod Taylor, are available. Because O’Connell loves a quarterback project, it’s also difficult to rule out former highly-drafted options like Anthony Richardson and Zach Wilson.
Related: Vikings’ High Price Disappointment Lands with New Team
I appreciate the Minnesota Vikings’ determination to avoid the same kind of depth quarterback problems that imploded their 2025 season. I could just do without the effort to protect McCarthy’s feelings.
If you make him the NO. 3 QB or trade him away, there will be no hiding from reality for the Vikings, or JJ. So, why do it now?
Mentioned in this article: J.J. McCarthy Kyler Murray NFL Offseason NFL Trade Rumors
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