3 Early J.J. McCarthy Trade Destinations Are Emerging for Vikings

GM Nolan Teasley has a few potential trade partners to consider.

As the Week 2 action kicks off, the Vikings could consider trading No. 9 to one of these logical destinations. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

J.J. McCarthy is a bit of an enigma for the Vikings. Since he was selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy has struggled to make an impact that justifies his Day 1 selection.

The former University of Michigan quarterback has dealt with a myriad of injuries since putting on a Vikings jersey, but that doesn't mean the day won't come when the 23-year-old will put it together and show the skills that made him the No. 10 overall selection. Besides, he often struggled in the games where he was healthy, completing 57.6% of passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions and a 72.6 passer rating.

Sadly, McCarthy may have to prove his worth somewhere else. After losing the quarterback battle for the starting job in Minnesota to Kyler Murray and then losing the competition for the backup gig to Carson Wentz, something would need to change dramatically for the Vikings to invest in him further.

With that in mind, the Vikings have a trio of potential trade partners if they want to turn the page on McCarthy early this season.

1. Falcons

Tua Tagovailoa was named the starting quarterback for the Falcons but missed Week 1 because of an Oblique injury. He is doubtful to start in Week 2, and his backup, Michael Penix Jr., has already been ruled out against the Panthers because of a knee injury.

Against the Steelers last week, the Falcons were forced to turn to Cooper Rush as their starting quarterback. The performance there wasn't great, as Rush completed 12 of 22 passes for 143 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Atlanta only picked up four passing first downs against Pittsburgh and was sacked four times for a total loss of 25 yards.

Tagovailoa and Penix are interesting quarterbacks when they are healthy, but neither one should be trusted to play a full season. Rush doesn't provide the depth needed to win games and hasn't led a team to a win as a starter since he left the Cowboys after the 2024 NFL season.

McCarthy would immediately raise the floor of the Falcons' quarterback room while getting a player nine years younger to hold down that role. Atlanta could even make him an inactive emergency quarterback on game day if Tagovailoa and Penix are both healthy.

Even with his time missed last season, McCarthy won six of the10 games that he started for the Vikings and earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 1. There is potential for him to thrive in Atlanta, and the cost to acquire him would be a mid-to-low-round draft pick that wouldn't break the bank for the Falcons.

2. Browns

Let's be honest. Nobody has any clue what is going on with the quarterbacks in Cleveland. Deshaun Watson is getting booed out of the building while the Browns used draft picks on Shadeur Sanders, Taylen Green, and Dillon Gabriel.

Gabriel is on injured reserve with a back injury, while Sanders made the Pro Bowl last year and is the direct backup for Watson. Green is a sixth-round pick who is there for development and to act as an emergency third quarterback.

McCarthy would immediately enter a quarterback competition with Sanders in Cleveland for the backup role. That would allow the Browns time to let Gabriel heal and learn on injured reserve while potentially moving Green to the practice squad.

Even if he doesn't become a long-term solution, J.J. McCarthy could be a solid stopgap for the Browns. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Whatever the Browns are trying to do with Watson makes absolutely no sense. That franchise needs to try just about anything to find a quarterback who can win a football game, which is something Watson hasn't done since Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season.

3. Jets

It's easy to dismiss Geno Smith as a starting-caliber quarterback. However, in Week 1, he completed 19-of-24 passes for 215 yards and led the Jets to a 23-10 win over the Titans. His backup is Cade Klubnik, a rookie selected in the fourth round of April's draft, and he likely needs more seasoning before he's trusted in an in-game situation.

The Jets offer a situation where McCarthy can compete for the backup role immediately and potentially take over when Smith's contract expires at the end of the 2026 NFL season. He can even serve as a stopgap as Klubnik's development continues.

New York could even draft another quarterback to compete with McCarthy for a role on the team. The tiny investment it would take to trade for the Vikings QB makes an option worth exploring, especially when the Jets currently have 10 picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, according to Spotrac, including three first-rounders.

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