In less than a week, the Minnesota Vikings’ oft-advertised quarterback battle between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy will continue at training camp, with the betting odds heavily favoring Murray. And glancing into the future, some theorists have claimed that McCarthy could request a trade if he gets the short end of the stick.
A McCarthy trade is unlikely because Minnesota pursued quarterback depth this offseason, but if the faux rumors are true, where might he end up?
Here’s a list of the most likely trade destinations in order of least probable to most.
Note: Some have speculated that McCarthy could request a trade if he loses the competition. McCarthy has directly rejected that premise, saying in June, “This is where I want to be.” The exercise below is therefore hypothetical – – not sourced trade reporting.
Putting the Trade Chatter through a Reality Check
5. Philadelphia Eagles
By late July, every team has a semblance of a plan at quarterback, so McCarthy shouldn’t really expect to waltz into a new city and demand a starting job. He’d probably move laterally – – a Vikings theoretical QB2 to a new team’s QB2.
The Eagles might make sense as a trade suitor, as Jalen Hurts’s reputation is [strangely] at a career low. After Hurts on the depth chart, the verdict is still out on Tanner McKee, and Andy Dalton is old. Eagles boss Howie Roseman never shies away from risky trades, and in fact, Minnesota just did business with him in the Jonathan Greenard deal.
McCarthy as a more serious QB2 option than the mysterious McKee or elderly Dalton checks out.
4. New York Jets
The Jets have Geno Smith, Brady Cook, and rookie Cade Klubnik as their main quarterback trio entering training camp. If that was your favorite football team, would you be excited? Exactly.
New York is probably high on Klubnik – – it just drafted him – – but McCarthy has more serious upside than Klubnik, at least per sheer draft stock. The Jets are basically on this list because if Klubnik is not the real deal, they have no plan for the future at the position.
It’s also worth noting that McCarthy requesting a trade, and the Vikings sending him to the Jets, would be quite comical.
3. Los Angeles Chargers
The Harbaugh angle.
Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers’ head coach, and McCarthy won a National Championship together in January 2024, and that event propelled McCarthy into Round 1 – – and to the Vikings’ roster. Since that victory, Harbaugh has gushed over McCarthy when asked about his potential. If McCarthy needs NFL relocation, Harbaugh may nudge his general manager to press the button.
McCarthy would then join a quarterback room with Justin Herbert and Trey Lance.
2. Indianapolis Colts
Pretend the Vikings choose to trade McCarthy, whether he requests it or not, but they still want a developmental passer in the pipeline. That could be as easy as swapping McCarthy for Anthony Richardson, who desperately needs one more fresh start in the NFL to see if he can live up to his 2023 draft billing.
Minnesota was linked to Richardson during that draft, and his physical tools are just off the charts. He’s similar to McCarthy: the flashes are there, but injuries have complicated everything.
McCarthy for Richardson would be rather fascinating for all parties and the league as a whole.
1. Arizona Cardinals
Where did Kyler Murray come from? The Cardinals. What do the Cardinals need? A quarterback. Funny how that works.
Arizona is on deck to start the regular season with Jacoby Brissett, Carson Beck, and Gardner Minshew on the quarterback depth chart. Depending on Beck’s acclimation to the pros, McCarthy might hold the most long-term upside of any of those passers.
FanSided‘s Wynston Wilcox noted the Cardinals as a McCarthy destination earlier this month: “McCarthy becoming available could change things for them. Not that it would mean they’d abandon the 2027 quarterback class, but it would at least give them a player that, if he shows enough potential this season, could be a building block for the future.”
“After all, the Cardinals’ new coach is Mike LaFleur, who was under Sean McVay as an offensive coordinator. If there’s any coach that could get the most out of McCarthy, it would be LaFleur.”
There would also be some irony here: the Vikings and Cardinals swapping quarterbacks with no trades needed.
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VikesNow Verdict: The McCarthy trade chatter remains speculation, not reporting. Arizona is the most likely hypothetical fit, but McCarthy has publicly said he wants to remain in Minnesota, and the Vikings have little incentive to move him.
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