J.J. McCarthy Mentioned as Trade Target in Rumor Mill
When Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold appeared to be a sustainable signal-caller for the long haul — you know, like two weeks ago — some believed the purple team could keep him and offload rookie passer J.J. McCarthy via trade.
J.J. McCarthy Mentioned as Trade Target in Rumor Mill
Of course, after Darnold flopped in the Vikings’ final two games of 2024, that theory seemed silly, but McCarthy trade fodder is out there, nevertheless.
Last week, before Darnold’s final debacle, a playoff loss against the Los Angeles Rams, The Athletic‘s Zack Rosenblatt mentioned McCarthy as a possible QB solution for the New York Jets. New York is currently overhauling its front office and coaching staff, and McCarthy could evidently be the fix, says Rosenblatt.
“The most intriguing potential addition: J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings picked him 10th overall last spring, then McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury in August, allowing Darnold to break out. If the Vikings retain Darnold and commit to him long-term, McCarthy might become available,” he explained.
The Vikings are severely unlikely to trade McCarthy, who is just 21 years old and considered the quarterback of the future. However, when DarnoldMania was rolling, theories ran rampant about how Minnesota would handle two franchise quarterbacks.
Darnold’s recent outing might’ve subtracted him from the conversation.
Otherwise, the Jets have a different decision afoot that likely won’t include McCarthy — what to do with Aaron Rodgers. The Jets-Rodgers grand experiment failed in 2023 and 2024, once due to injury and the other because of generalized futility. Rodgers hasn’t expressly stated plans to retire, but a new general manager and coaching staff may want nothing to do with his larger-than-everything persona.
Rosenblatt also mentioned the Jets’ additional free-agent options: “In free agency, there are some intriguing options worth bringing in as competition for Taylor, not counting Darnold. At the top of that list: Current Steelers backup Justin Fields, still only 25. He showed some flashes of improvement with Pittsburgh before Russell Wilson took over. Veterans like Wilson, Jameis Winston, Jacoby Brissett, Daniel Jones and Cooper Rush will also hit free agency. Kirk Cousins could be available and the Jets have pursued him in the past, though he’s 36 and coming off his worst season.”
If the Jets want a quarterback from free agency, that process is just under two months away.
New York also owns the seventh pick in April’s draft.
McCarthy trade fodder probably won’t stop until Darnold is no longer associated with the Vikings, but trade-McCarthy anything should be considered looney.
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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