It has not been an easy debut campaign for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who was sidelined for his entire rookie season in 2024 due to a knee injury and also missed time with an ankle injury this season.
When McCarthy has played in 2025, he hasn’t been good, having thrown for 842 yards, six touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing just 52.9 percent of his passes and posting a 61.7 passer rating.
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Most recently, the former No. 10 overall pick went 16-for-32 with 150 yards, a touchdown and a couple of picks in a 19-17 loss to the Chicago Bears.
While it’s still very early in McCarthy’s career, there is already serious concern over whether or not he is the long-term answer for a Vikings team that is just 4-6 after going 14-3 with Sam Darnold under center last year.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay doesn’t necessarily think Minnesota should give up on McCarthy, he feels that the Vikings should make a trade for a veteran and push him into a backup role for 2026.
And the veteran Kay has identified as a potential trade target for Minnesota? None other than former Viking Kirk Cousins.
“While Cousins is under contract with the Falcons through the 2027 season, he’s been languishing on the bench and should be available for the right mix of draft compensation and cap relief,” Kay wrote. “He won’t be the long-term solution to Minnesota’s quarterback troubles, but he could crack open a Super Bowl window for the club while McCarthy spends another season developing and preparing to take back over in 2027.”
Cousins played quarterback for Minnesota from 2018 through 2023, making three Pro Bowl appearances. He then signed a four-year, $180 million contract with Atlanta in March 2024, but things have not exactly worked out for him.
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The 37-year-old was benched during the second half of last season, and while he is now being thrust back into a starting role for the Falcons with Michael Penix Jr. on injured reserve, Atlanta would surely love to unload his contract this offseason.
What would the Vikings have to trade for Cousins? Given his contract, probably not much, so if Minnesota wants him, it can probably have him.
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