Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy goes via pregame warmups earlier than Minnesota’s late-season street recreation towards the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. McCarthy took the sector on Dec. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas, because the Vikings ready for an necessary regular-season matchup with postseason implications. Obligatory Credit score: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Pictures
Bear in mind the man final month who urged that Mark and Zygi Wilf might promote the Minnesota Vikings as a result of the franchise didn’t spend massive in free company? He’s Pioneer Press’s Charley Walters, and after that principle was immediately and totally debunked, Walters now believes Minnesota might commerce quarterback J.J. McCarthy this summer season.
All indicators level to McCarthy remaining in Minnesota this season, however Walters isn’t shopping for it.
Vikings’ QB Takes Preserve Getting Stranger
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy drops again to cross throughout first-quarter motion towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers at U.S. Financial institution Stadium. The younger signal-caller helped information Minnesota’s offense on Jan. 4, 2026, in Minneapolis because the Vikings sought to construct momentum early throughout a pivotal NFC North showdown towards their longtime rivals. Obligatory Credit score: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Pictures
Walters: Vikings May Commerce McCarthy
Walters, no stranger to stirring the pot, acquired in his bag this weekend, writing about McCarthy and the Vikings’ quarterback scenario, “It seems unlikely that Carson Wentz re-signed with the Vikings to be the third-string quarterback this season, or that Kyler Murray signed with the Vikings to be the second-string QB.”
“Curiously, a few weeks ago, during the rookie mini-camp, the Vikings brought in former Dallas-Baltimore QB Cooper Rush for a tryout. Remember, it was Rush who five years ago — subbing for injured Cowboys starter Dak Prescott in a Sunday night game in Minneapolis — passed for 325 yards and two second-half TDs to lead Dallas to a 20-16 victory.”
The Vikings usually have veteran quarterbacks on velocity dial — like Rush — with Desmond Ridder and John Wolford as examples in 2025.
“Depending on training camp performances, if the Vikings were to get a decent offer — say a third-round draft pick — for QB J.J. McCarthy, it wouldn’t be surprising if Minnesota starts the season with Murray, Wentz and perhaps Rush as its top three QBs,” Walters continued.
“Rush, now a free agent, played for $4 million for the Ravens last season.”
One Battle after One other
Walter at all times has one thing new and spicy to insert into his weekend column; the McCarthy commerce proposition is merely the newest chapter.
He lately claimed the Wilfs might promote the group, as talked about above, as a result of after two years of heavy spending in 2024 and 2025, Minnesota put the clamps on the wage cap bank card, resetting the funds in order that 2027 doesn’t seem like a monetary nightmare subsequent March.
Walters additionally infamously claimed in September 2024 that the Vikings would possibly transfer on from McCarthy six months after drafting him as a result of Sam Darnold might blossom. Darnold later blossomed, and reasonably than preserving him round, the Vikings stayed loyal to McCarthy — to a fault — and did the other of Walters’ sizzling take.
Vikings Want QB Depth and Insurance coverage
Wouldn’t it be intriguing to discover a Third-Spherical choose for McCarthy’s companies through commerce if the membership realized that Murray was its meal ticket for 2026 and past? Completely.
Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy takes snaps and directs the offense throughout his NFL preseason debut towards the Las Vegas Raiders. The looks got here in August 2024 and marked McCarthy’s first recreation motion earlier than a meniscus harm later sidelined him for your entire season, forcing Minnesota to show to veteran Sam Darnold. Obligatory Credit score: YouTube
The issue? Nobody has a crystal ball, and Murray’s takeoff in Minnesota is just not assured. And even when Murray performs splendidly underneath middle, the actual fact stays that the person misses about one-quarter of all begins on account of harm. If Murray will get damage in 2026, the Vikings will want a Plan B. McCarthy, hungry to disprove the meme caricature of himself, is a incredible Plan B, given his upside.
What’s extra, two of the final three Vikings seasons have been gutted by quarterback accidents: 2023, when Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles tendon, and 2025, when McCarthy encountered a excessive ankle sprain, concussion, and a damaged hand. Minnesota shouldn’t be within the enterprise this summer season of subtracting QB1 choices; it has been hoarding all of them offseason to keep away from re-runs of the 2023 and 2025 campaigns.
Our Steve Hoikkala famous this week, “McCarthy has been polarizing, especially in Vikings fandom. Fans are choosing sides, and I just prefer to root for all of our players wearing purple.”
“Yes that means I can root for Kyler Murray a Vikings fan growing up like Carson Wentz getting to live out a dream as a kid playing quarterback for their favorite team while still rooting for a 23 year old kid in J.J. McCarthy who is a 1st Round Pick that has only played 10 games while showing ‘some’ upside and development to go with an injury riddled season that didn’t meet expectations as well in terms of production.”
Buying and selling McCarthy Looks like a 2027 Talker
After all, if the Vikings hearth up a 2026 season much like 2024 — ending 14-3 and reaching the postseason — with Murray absolutely thriving within the offense, buying and selling McCarthy in 2027 is a unique story. By that point, he’d have one 12 months left on his rookie contract, two if Minnesota or a unique group opted into his costly fifth-year choice.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy goes via pregame warm-ups earlier than a street contest towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers at Lambeau Discipline. The quarterback ready for motion on Nov. 23, 2025, in Inexperienced Bay as Minnesota equipped for an additional necessary divisional matchup in the course of the stretch run of the common season. Obligatory Credit score: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Pictures
You must completely anticipate the McCarthy commerce rumor mill to warmth up in 2027 if Murray propels the Vikings to the playoffs and posts 25-40 touchdowns.
Till then, McCarthy-themed commerce takes are simply foolish — except he calls for a ticket out of city. McCarthy requesting a commerce could be a complete new ball of wax, however thus far this summer season, he has claimed that Minnesota is the place he desires to be.
Vikings coaching camp is lower than seven weeks away.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
