Vikings Rumor Mill Chatter: J.J. McCarthy and the Rams, Jonathan Greenard, Christian Darrisaw
The NFL Draft is 12 days out for the Minnesota Vikings, and the first wave of weekend rumors is here.
Three new Vikings rumors are floating as draft week moves closer.
We roll out two rumor rounds every weekend, keeping tabs on the latest chatter as things move fast around the purple orbit.
Latest Draft Month Chatter Touches Quarterback, EDGE Rusher, and Left Tackle
A look at the Purple Rumor Mill just a week and a half before the draft.
Rumor: The Vikings could trade J.J. McCarthy to the Los Angeles Rams.
According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, McCarthy could step into familiar territory, with Sean McVay in Los Angeles and Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota running closely aligned systems.
He proposed this trade, “Rams get: 1-18, 3-97, QB J.J. McCarthy. Vikings get: 1-13. At the right price, though, taking a flier on McCarthy would make sense. The Vikings are unlikely to move forward with the 2024 ninth overall pick as their quarterback of the future, having signed Kyler Murray to take over as their starter in 2026 before deciding on McCarthy’s fifth-year option after the season.”
“Getting something for the 23-year-old quarterback would make sense if the organization has decided it is going to be heading in a different direction. This move up would get the Vikes ahead of the Bucs and Jets if they want to look toward secondary help in Round 1.”
The target at No. 13 remains up in the air; Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, for example, could enter the conversation if he slips on draft night.
Barnwell continued, “This trade would value McCarthy as being worth the 112th pick in a typical draft by the Johnson chart, a selection in the middle of the fourth round. That feels about right to me. And the Rams would be on the hook for $6.6 million over the next two years, which isn’t much for a developmental backup quarterback.”
“Could McCarthy’s solid final four games of the 2025 season (admittedly against dismal opposing defenses) portend growth and some future success? The Rams wouldn’t be paying much to find out.”
The Vikings probably won’t trade McCarthy, and if they do, he won’t be filler in a deal five spots up the draftboard.
Rumor: The Chiefs may pursue Jonathan Greenard via trade in the draft.
Also from Barnwell, he theorized that Greenard could go to the Chiefs in the same article.
He explained, “Chiefs get: 1-18, 3-97, Edge Jonathan Greenard. Vikings get: 1-9, Edge Felix Anudike-Uzomah. This trade would value the difference between Greenard and Anudike-Uzomah — a former first-round pick who hasn’t impressed with the Chiefs — as being worth the 54th pick, according to the Johnson chart, in a typical draft.”
“The Vikings would move up from No. 18 to No. 9 and put defensive coordinator Brian Flores in line to add one of the premier defensive backs in this year’s class. The idea of Downs in a Flores defense is tantalizing, but the Vikings could also go for LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane here. Trading Greenard would open cap space and create a spot in the starting lineup for Dallas Turner, who filled in for Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel when they were hurt last season.”
The Vikings haven’t picked as high as No. 9 in a draft since 2014 when they netted linebacker Anthony Barr.
This would-be trade is more likely than the McCarthy idea, but it still remains confusing that Minnesota would plan to be a playoff contender in 2026 while shedding pass rushers. Most serious teams do the opposite — stock up on EDGE talent.
Rumor: Christian Darrisaw’s belated ACL recovery is on schedule, alas.
O’Connell talked about Darrisaw’s ACL at the NFL’s league meetings last week, saying, “I do believe we’re at that point now. He’s having a really good offseason. And what that looks like, what his daily practice schedule and plan looks like, we’re going to do what we think is best to get Christian ready to play 17 games and feel at his absolute best to do so.”
“I was proud of the way Christian battled through the offseason and the recovery portion, but then it was frustrating for him at times because he did put in all that work, all that tireless work, that in his mind, ‘Hey, I want to move past this,’ But with an injury like that, sometimes time is truly the only thing that will ultimately get us to where we want to get to.”
In the meantime, Minnesota signed offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark from the Buffalo Bills as insurance.
O’Connell added, “He’s so impactful. That is one position where I don’t think we put enough credence and weight into the impact of winning and losing every snap, every down in the NFL at that left tackle position.”
Here’s to hoping Darrisaw’s ACL heals fully for 2026; Minnesota would be in panic mode without him, schematically and financially.
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