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Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Minnesota Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy is facing an uncertain 2026 offseason.
It’s unclear what head coach Kevin O’Connell will want to do at the position this season. The lack of clarity is emphasized in the fact that the coming season is likely a hot-seat year for the fifth-year head coach.
The QB decision that O’Connell needs to make likely carries the weight of his job. The feeling is that O’Connell needs to make the playoffs to save his job.
Is it really in his best interest to continue down the J.J. McCarthy road?
Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy Gets Strong Take from ESPN
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 04: J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
ESPN recently released a piece detailing a player on each NFL team that could use a “fresh start” in 2026. Of course, by “fresh start”, they mean an entirely new team.
For the Vikings, it’s QB J.J. McCarthy. They explained their selection of the 23-year-old signal caller.
“This is likely never going to happen, because it would be ridiculous for the Vikings to unload a player who still has first-round upside after 10 starts. However, a fresh start for McCarthy with a different organization might be the best thing for his career.
Yes, you want a young quarterback to be with an offensive mind such as Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell for the purposes of his development. However, things went so badly for the Vikings with McCarthy last season that it might be best to get him out of the shadow of Super Bowl winner Sam Darnold.”
It wouldn’t be completely unprecedented for the Vikings to give up on McCarthy so quickly. Anthony Richardson and Josh Rosen are just a pair of examples of quarterbacks who were given up on quickly by the team that drafted them.
J.J. McCarthy Named Trade Candidate
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – JANUARY 04: Head coach Kevin O’Connell and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown talk with J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter of a game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
ESPN isn’t the only publication to propose the idea of a trade involving McCarthy.
Yahoo! Sports senior reporter Charles Robinson recently shared some prominent names to watch that could be on the move this offseason. You may recognize the final name he listed off.
“..throw in some young players who might get a call or two just to see if they are available on the trade market, including Buffalo Bills wideout Keon Coleman, Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Brian Thomas Jr., Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson and Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.”
Robinson even added to the buzz about a potential union between Aaron Rodgers and the Vikings.
“The future of Aaron Rodgers will be a pressing question for the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s possible we exit the combine under the presumption that the Steelers are going to move forward and try to find their future QB, which would shift the Rodgers conversation back to the Vikings, whom he was interested in before landing in Pittsburgh last offseason.”
It’s logical to think that if Minnesota signed an older QB like Cousins or Rodgers, they’d hang on to McCarthy. That way, he can still technically be your long-term plan. However, a trade for a younger option like Kyler Murray could increase the chance that McCarthy gets dealt elsewhere for draft capital.
Certainly, the J.J. McCarthy situation is one that the entire NFL landscape is keeping an eye on.
Brevan Bane Brevan Bane is a sports scribe covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals. Brevan began his writing career by making a platform on Twitter and leveraging his presence into writing and content creation opportunities for outlets like PurplePTSD, Vikings Territory, The Noise, Hockey Wilderness, and the VikesNow YouTube channel. You can follow him on X @brevmanbane. More about Brevan Bane
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