Another Stupid Vikings Trade Theory Hits the Internet
Last offseason, NFL-themed media couldn’t stop concocting trade theories involving Justin Jefferson’s exit from the Minnesota Vikings.
Another Stupid Vikings Trade Theory Hits the Internet
This go-round, J.J. McCarthy is the target.
The Vikings extended Jefferson’s contract after all the trade rumor malarkey, and this offseason, Minnesota will prepare McCarthy for the bright lights of QB1. But according to a website called The Wright Way Sports Network, McCarthy will be traded to the San Francisco 49ers for quarterback Brock Purdy.
In fact, the TWSN article even featured a clickbait headline: San Francisco 49ers Trade Brock Purdy to Minnesota Vikings for JJ McCarthy.
The headline is obviously false. That website has a history of posting inflammatory headlines while dialing back the clickbait with heavy disclaimers in the context of the article.
After the bombastic headline, TWSN’s Marissa Myers explained McCarthy-for-Purdy: “For McCarthy, they can trade him and get immense return value. While it may not appear to make sense to trade McCarthy, he is coming off a knee injury, and how he plays after it isn’t known. This added on to the rookie learning curve that he missed during his actual rookie season will complicate things and only lead to him needing more time to be ready to fully start. The Vikings, in a competitive NFC North, don’t have the time to waste.”
The Vikings trading McCarthy for Purdy is probably less likely than the 2024 Jefferson trade rumors.
“That is where the 49ers come into play. With Purdy going to be eligible for a contract extension, the 49ers have massive contracts with Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, and Trent Williams either in place or on the horizon. To overpay for Purdy with the state the 49ers are in after missing the playoffs would only set the franchise back. That is where McCarthy comes into play as he is on a rookie contract and would help San Francisco allocate money towards other players at positions of need,” Myers added.
Minnesota won’t trade McCarthy anywhere this offseason — just like it didn’t swap Jefferson for assets one year ago. Other trade-McCarthy hypotheses in the last month have shipped him to the Las Vegas Raiders. ESPN’s Ben Solak also endorsed the idea of a McCarthy trade.
NFL free agency is four weeks away, and Darnold will probably depart the franchise then. The 49ers are due to extend Purdy’s contract for the long haul, and Minnesota just ended an era of paying a good-not-elite quarterback megabucks, one of the many reasons a McCarthy-Purdy trade is ludicrous.
Spicy Vikings Rumor Picks up Steam
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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