Vikings Nopedy Nopes: J.J. McCarthy on the Bench, Matthew Stafford Daydreams, Brock Purdy as a Viking
A weekend publication from VikingsTerritory, we present to you: the Vikings Nopedy Nopes of the week.
Vikings Nopedy Nopes: J.J. McCarthy on the Bench, Matthew Stafford Daydreams, Brock Purdy as a Viking
The nopedy nopes are weekly Minnesota Vikings-themed items that we’re not buying. It’s a spin-off of our rumor mill, and we hope you enjoy. Here is the 48th batch of Vikings nopedy nopes in the series’ history.
The Nopedy Nope: J.J. McCarthy will start training camp as the QB2, not QB1.
Conor Orr boldly declared that quarterback McCarthy won’t be the QB1 entering training camp in July.
“The Vikings will not go into training camp with J.J. McCarthy as their projected starter. McCarthy is still in recovery mode from a torn meniscus and needs to get pro-ready weight and lower-body strength,” Orr wrote this week.
McCarthy is the oddsmakers’ darling to win the QB1 in 2025, so Orr’s prediction is indeed quite bold. In fairness to Orr, he assigned an out-there prediction to every NFL team, so Minnesota wasn’t necessarily targeted.
McCarthy should be considered the favorite to waltz into the summer with the QB1 emblem, not an underdog.
Verdict: Nopedy nope.
The Nopedy Nope: Matthew Stafford is a realistic trade target for Minnesota.
CBS Sports was quick to nominate Minnesota as a possible landing spot for Matthew Stafford after his wife, Kelly, recently said on a podcast that her husband wouldn’t mind a trade.
“A return to the NFC North? I think what the Vikings decide to do at quarterback this offseason is super fascinating. Many are penciling in Darnold to return in 2025, but what if another semi-stable organization offers him more money? Then, if Darnold leaves, would the Vikings immediately throw J.J. McCarthy into the starting lineup? Maybe. Or they could acquire another veteran,” Jordan Dajani wrote Tuesday.
The Vikings are severely unlikely to trade for Stafford this offseason, mainly because the franchise drafted J.J. McCarthy 10 months ago for the QB1 job. In theory, Minnesota could force McCarthy to watch and learn for multiple seasons, but most don’t expect that outcome.
Stafford could make sense via trade if there were no McCarthy on the Vikings’ depth chart. Otherwise, it’s nopedy nope.
Verdict: Nopedy nope.
The Nopedy Nope: Brock Purdy will be traded straight up for J.J. McCarthy.
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 wild headline: San Francisco 49ers Trade Brock Purdy to Minnesota Vikings for JJ McCarthy.
This is clickbait. It should not be taken seriously. Purdy is on the cusp of receiving a contract worth about $55-$60 million that he won’t be worth, and Minnesota has McCarthy, who costs about $5 million per season.
Purdy will not be a Viking.
Verdict: Nopedy nope.
Vikings Defensive Coach May Leave After All
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 MIN 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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