ESPN Just Floated a Surprising Fate for J.J. McCarthy
Through an eligible 28 games of his career, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has played in six and ranks near the bottom of the NFL per quarterback efficiency — this season and throughout the history of a quarterback’s first six starts. Accordingly, ESPN claimed this week that McCarthy may not last long in Minnesota.
ESPN just floated a surprising take for J.J. McCarthy, shifting the conversation around how the Vikings may approach their quarterback future.
That outlet sized up whether the Vikings having a different quarterback next year was an overreaction, and to put it plainly, the answer was no.
ESPN Casts Doubt on J.J. McCarthy’s QB1 Future
Minnesota could evidently find an alternative.
A Different QB for Vikings in 2026 Not an Overreaction, Says ESPN
Weekly, ESPN publishes an overreaction piece designed to downplay or legitimize fears about teams or players. This time, Dan Graziano took on the McCarthy situation.
He wrote, “The Vikings will have a new starting quarterback in 2026. Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION. If nothing else, the Vikings will want to bring in a veteran quarterback to add to their young QB room. Think about what the Colts did this offseason, signing Daniel Jones (who, ironically, finished last season with the Vikings) to compete with Anthony Richardson Sr. for the starting job.”
“Jones beat out Richardson, and the Colts are a first-place team. Bringing in a veteran doesn’t guarantee a similar result, and it’s possible that McCarthy could make enough advancements this offseason that he would win a competition against an outside veteran.”
An outside quarterback during the 2026 offseason via free agency, trade, or the draft is now virtually inevitable. McCarthy has shown no signs of growth through six starts, and the team is nearing the end of his contract’s second year.
Graziano added, “But unless the final six games of this season look a heck of a lot different from the first six games McCarthy has started, Minnesota is going to have to look at every potential option going into 2026. The Vikings can’t throw another season away while waiting for things to click for their 2024 first-round pick.”
For weeks, fans have waited for McCarthy to take the next step or encounter a lightbulb moment when everything clicks. That has not happened.
Graziano concluded, “It’s hard to imagine McCarthy not getting a chance to finish out this season as the Vikings’ starter. The damage to their playoff hopes is done, and their only other QB option right now is undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, who could be even more raw than McCarthy is.”
“McCarthy clearly needs experience, and he’s not going to get it on the bench. He’s probably their guy for the remainder of the 2025 season unless he gets hurt again. But 2026 could be a different story.”
McCarthy’s Profuse Struggles
McCarthy now ranks 851st out of 852 qualified passers in EPA per dropback since 2000, per TruMedia. The only quarterback below him on the list is JaMarcus Russell.
It was a month ago, but the McCarthy conversation is no longer “he just needs time to develop.” The Vikings are beneath that, sadly.
The question is: how quickly will McCarthy stop playing atrociously so that he can perform “only kind of badly” and then begin a quarterback’s development schedule? Young quarterbacks are supposed to experience ups and downs. McCarthy’s problem is that his downs have basically turned him into the worst quarterback ever — or second-worst, behind Russell.
Now Injured — Again
Having fun yet? McCarthy is also injured. The 22-year-old is in the NFL’s concussion protocol after failing to slide on a scamper at Lambeau Field. Unless Tuesday or Wednesday brings surprisingly good news for McCarthy, QB2 Max Brosmer is in line to make his first NFL start on Sunday at Lumen Field.
McCarthy missed 17 games in 2024 due to a torn meniscus. He missed five this season with a high ankle sprain. And he’s on deck to miss at least another with a concussion.
The durability isn’t there for McCarthy, while the performance might even be more disappointing.
Following the Script of a Bust
You will hear this a lot in the coming weeks and months. It is fair: “Give the guy time to develop.”
The Vikings might do it. He’s under team control for at least two more seasons and an extra year with his fifth-year 1st-Round option if he’s worth it.
However, through almost two seasons, McCarthy has every marker imaginable of a bust. He’s usually injured. And when he’s not hurt, he stinks. This is the bust script to a tee, sorry to say. Perhaps the man will fundamentally turn it around when he returns to the lineup. If he does, it will be one of the most bizarre rags-to-riches stories among all quarterbacks in league history.
It’s now up to him. He has more offensive weapons than most 1st-Round quarterbacks at his disposal.
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