J.J. McCarthy Trade Theories Emerge
The Minnesota Vikings signed two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray on Thursday evening, and that means J.J. McCarthy, the man once viewed as the franchise’s QB1 solution — not very long ago — could be traded, according to the Pioneer Press‘s Charley Walters.
The Vikings’ quarterback conversation got weird in a hurry this week.
McCarthy has not expressed discontent since the Murray signing, nor has he requested a trade, but Walter’s warning is out in the open.
Kyler Murray Chatter Opened the Door for a New Round of Speculation
That didn’t take long.
Walters: Vikings Could Trade McCarthy
Walters is never shy about expounding on Vikings-themed rumors, and he took the plunge on McCarthy’s status last weekend.
He wrote, “Now that Kyler Murray seems set to be the Vikings’ starting quarterback next season, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team entertains a trade for J.J. McCarthy. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns seem like teams that might have an interest in McCarthy, potentially as a starter.”
“The Los Angeles Chargers, coached by Jim Harbaugh, who coached McCarthy to a national championship at Michigan in 2004, would seem a third possibility as a backup to Justin Herbert. The Chargers do not have a designated backup QB. Last season, it was Trey Lance from Marshall, Minn. A trade for McCarthy would require a high enough draft pick. Don’t be surprised, if the Vikings were to trade McCarthy, if they bring Carson Wentz back to play behind Murray.”
McCarthy has missed 70% of all games since joining the Vikings in 2024, so it’s safe to say his stock is at its lowest.
The Browns Fit
The Browns have several quarterbacks; the Browns may not have a quarterback, which presents a problem.
These men are on the 2026 depth chart at the moment:
- Deshaun Watson
- Shedeur Sanders
- Dillon Gabriel
Cleveland could not be overly nimble at quarterback this offseason because they’re still mitigating the sin of trading for and signing Watson at $230 million fully guaranteed. However, in 2027, offloading Watson will become slightly less painful, and by then, the Browns will have a clearer indication of whether Sanders has taken the next step as the franchise guy.
In the meantime, per the Walters theory, Cleveland could acquire McCarthy and basically throw in the towel on Gabriel, a 3rd-Rounder from last year.
Cleveland.com‘s Mary Kay Cabot noted on the Browns’ quarterback situation last week, “They’re not trading for Anthony Richardson, despite widespread rumors during the first week of free agency that they’d pursue him, sources say. It’s never been a serious consideration for them, although they usually do their due diligence on available veterans to see if it’s a fit.”
“But Richardson was never in their plans, and the rumors were unfounded. At this point, the Browns are prepared to move forward with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders as their top two contenders for the 2026 starting job, unless their remaining work on the draft-eligible quarterbacks alters those plans.”
The Steelers Fit
Most believe, at least tentatively, that Aaron Rodgers will return in 2026, his 20th season in the pros. Rodgers said last summer that 2025 would probably be his last ride, but then the offseason rolled around, and he became noncommittal about his future. It’s what Rodgers does every year, and his old friend, Brett Favre, used to do annually with the Green Bay Packers. The two share an extreme and befuddling passion for milking offseason suspense. Nobody on the planet enjoys it except for those two guys.
If Rodgers retires, the Steelers would look down at the roster and find Will Howard’s name, a 6th-Rounder from last year’s draft. If Pittsburgh is not enthused about HowardMania, it could call Kirk Cousins for a one-year bridge to get it to the 2027 NFL Draft, which is on deck to be stuffed to the gills with quarterbacks.
Otherwise, the Steelers could send a late-round pick to Minnesota for McCarthy, and the youngster could marinate behind Rodgers for a season or battle Howard for the job this summer.
It could be The McCarthy & McCarthy Show in Pittsburgh: Mike & J.J.
The Chargers Fit
This is the weirdest of them all — unless the Chargers are secretly biding their time to end the Justin Herbert era. And why on earth would they be doing that?
Sure, McCarthy and Harbaugh won a championship together at Michigan, but does that mean McCarthy wants to join Harbaugh in Los Angeles as Herbert’s backup? He has a better chance of dethroning Kyler Murray this summer than sniffing the Chargers’ lineup as the QB1. What’s more, Murray isn’t necessarily Iron Man; he could miss a few games, casting McCarthy back into the QB1 spotlight.
McCarthy to Los Angeles only makes sense if the Vikings have an urgent need to get rid of him, and Harbaugh comes knocking accordingly.
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