Inside The Vikings

J.J. McCarthy trade speculation ramping up as Sam Darnold decision looms

The Vikings can only use the franchise tag between Feb. 18 and March 4, 2025.

Joe Nelson

J.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy / Minnesota Viking
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What has Adam Schefter done? The ESPN NFL insider made waves when he speculated that the Minnesota Vikings are going to be getting plenty of phone calls from quarterback-needy teams interested in acquiring J.J. McCarthy.

Minnesota drafted McCarthy 10th overall last April and then signed Sam Darnold to a one-year contract. Little did anyone know back then that McCarthy would suffer a season-ending knee injury and Darnold would go on to lead the Vikings to a 14-2 record while putting up QB numbers typically reserved for MVP candidates.

With more than 4,100 passing yards, 35 touchdowns and 13 games with a 100+ passer rating, Darnold has changed the narrative in Minnesota so much that there now appears to be a very real possibility that the Vikings sign him for 2025 and beyond, resulting in McCarthy being put on the trade block or left to marinate as the backup, perhaps similar to what the Packers did when transitioning from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers and from Rodgers to Jordan Love.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, a "slight majority" of the anonymous league executives he has talked with believe the Vikings will keep Darnold. Fowler also said he didn't find one team source who thinks Darnold will get top-10 quarterback money.

Kyler Murray, at a $46.1 million annual average salary, is currently the 10th highest-paid quarterback in the league. If Darnold gets to the $40 million threshold, he'd reach the top-15 quarterback pay level.

"Of course they are. He's talented and it's a terrible quarterback draft and seven teams need a quarterback," said Colin Cowherd, reacting to Schefter's report about teams likely calling the Vikings.

"This is something to remember. Why did the Minnesota Vikings in November bring in Daniel Jones? Why? Because maybe they were ahead of us," Cowherd continued.

"The Vikings don't have a second, third or fourth-round pick. It's a terrible quarterback class. Seattle, you think they're going to go back with Geno Smith again? They could get J.J. McCarthy for a second and a fourth, maybe a second, fourth and fifth. Vikings get their draft picks. They're franchise-tagging, at minimum, Sam Darnold. Kevin O'Connell liked Sam Darnold before he was a Viking. Kyle Shanahan liked Darnold before he was a Niner. Now he's putting up an MVP season, they've made a decision: 'We like Darnold, we're not letting him go.' Why did they bring in Daniel Jones? Because they wanted to get him into the system, ready to play for a playoff game. In my take, they'll rehab Daniel Jones like they rehabbed Sam Darnold."

Perhaps the best path forward for the Vikings is franchise-tagging Darnold for an estimated $41.3 million and then trading him for draft picks. Minnesota might wind up with a first-round pick in a deal and they'd still have $70+ million in cap space to build around McCarthy.

The Vikings can only use the franchise tag between Feb. 18 and March 4, 2025, so a Darnold tagging decision will come within the next two months. And it could be a wild two months for the Vikings, not only because they could go deep in the playoffs but also becaus the Darnold-McCarthy rumors are going to be rampant.

The blogosphere is already ripe with speculation with reporters covering QB-desperate teams like the Giants, Jets and Raiders wondering if McCarthy is the answer. For the Vikings, this is a best-case scenario. You know, one of those good problems to have.

Now they just have to make the right decision. It would look awfully bad if they let Darnold go and McCarthy is a bust. It would also look pretty bad if they trade McCarthy and Darnold turns out to be a flash in the pan.

No pressure...

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Joe Nelson
JOE NELSON

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