The J.J. McCarthy era in Minnesota is over. The Vikings offloaded McCarthy on Monday morning to the New York Giants after a week of rumors pointing to this outcome.
It’s a fresh start for McCarthy, who is just 23, and a bloodline reunion with John Harbaugh, Jim Harbaugh’s brother, who won a National Championship with McCarthy at Michigan.
The Vikings End the McCarthy Experiment after 2.5 Years
The Giants Pull the Trigger
So long as McCarthy doesn’t fail a physical, the Giants now have a contingency plan for Jaxson Dart, who will miss the remainder of 2026 due to injury, and Jameis Winston. The latter has not played well in two showings this season.
The Vikings’ social media team tweeted, “The Vikings have traded QB J.J. McCarthy to the Giants in exchange for a 5th-round pick. The completion of this trade is pending McCarthy passing a physical.”
NFL Network‘s Mike Garafolo added, “The question about J.J. McCarthy coming into the Draft was about him coming from a run-oriented offense into the pass-heavy NFL.”
“This Giants offense is more in line with what he ran in college. John Harbaugh & Co. also talked about adding a QB who can move. That’s McCarthy.”
It’s the first trade of the NFL regular season.
A Ruthless Indictment of a Failed Draft Pick
McCarthy arrived as the No. 10 pick in 2024 after the Vikings moved up one spot to get him. Two years later, he’s headed to the Giants for a 2027 5th-rounder – – a brutal return on a quarterback who was supposed to become Kevin O’Connell’s long-term answer.
McCarthy lost his entire rookie season to a knee injury and later went 6-4 in 10 starts last year with 11 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He then competed with Kyler Murray this summer, and Murray won the job.
Now, the organization has chosen a future Day 3 pick over keeping McCarthy as QB3. There’s no softer way to frame it. The experiment failed. New York gets the reclamation project, while the Vikings take the 5th-rounder and move ahead.
Statistically speaking, 5th-rounders rarely amount to much.
Vikings Haven’t Successfully Drafted a QB since Daunte Culpepper
If success means drafting a quarterback who becomes the franchise’s long-term starter, the drought now stretches back to Culpepper in 1999.
It’s astonishing for an organization that has otherwise fielded plenty of good football teams. Christian Ponder never became the answer. Teddy Bridgewater looked promising before his devastating knee injury. Kellen Mond barely played. Jaren Hall didn’t stick. Add McCarthy to the list — flops.
Not every pick was foolish. Bridgewater gave the Vikings legitimate hope, and McCarthy was a sensible swing after winning a national title at Michigan.
The result is still ugly.
The club used its highest-ever draft slot on a quarterback in 2024, only to trade him two seasons later for a late-rounder. Culpepper remains the last drafted passer who gave the franchise a quasi-long-term run as QB1.
McCarthy Could See Action in New York — Really Soon
The Giants didn’t make this trade to collect quarterback depth. Dart is out for the rest of the regular season after knee surgery. Jameis Winston has produced 229 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception since taking over. New York beat Tennessee 12-7 on Sunday, but all 12 points came from field goals. The Giants’ offense isn’t exactly humming.
The trade creates a glaring opening for McCarthy. Learning a new offense in late September will take time, so Winston has the head start. But 118 passing yards against Tennessee won’t buy eternal patience.
If the Giants keep struggling to score, calls for McCarthy will arrive in a hurry.
Fans on Pins and Needles after the Sam Darnold Disaster
Vikings fans have lived a version of this movie recently, which makes the McCarthy trade feel more dangerous.
Darnold left in free agency after a 14-3 season, and the franchise moved ahead with McCarthy as its future. Darnold then went to Seattle and followed with a remarkable season. Watching that happen while McCarthy struggled made the quarterback decision sting. And, of course, Darnold’s Seahawks won the Super Bowl, making the Vikings’ quarterback decision-making the laughingstock of the NFL.
If McCarthy plays well, the second-guessing will be deafening. The Vikings risk becoming the laughingstock twice in two seasons.
Minnesota is betting Murray is the wiser answer and that McCarthy won’t make the 5th-round return look painfully light. Get your popcorn ready.
For 2026’s Sake, It’s All Up to Kyler Murray Now
Murray is the unquestioned starter now, with Carson Wentz behind him. McCarthy is an afterthought, at least temporarily. That setup carries extra tension because the Vikings have already needed Wentz once this season. Murray lasted only 11 snaps in Week 1 before a concussion knocked him out, forcing Wentz into the lineup and then into the Week 2 start.
At 3-0, the Vikings can live with the decision today, but Murray must justify it from here. His first full start produced 168 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The defense and special teams have carried plenty of weight so far. If Murray settles in and the offense wakes up, trading McCarthy will feel like a footnote.
If not, every rough Sunday will bring the move right back into focus.
Paging Nick Mullens
Here’s the immediate roster question: who becomes QB3?
One familiar option is Mullens, who’s currently on Jacksonville’s practice squad. He spent three seasons with the Vikings and knows O’Connell’s offense, so a reunion would require less teaching than most alternatives. Mullens has 20 career starts and 6,448 passing yards. The guy can ball among the best QB2 and QB3s in the sport.
There’s one catch: he isn’t a free agent. Practice squad players can sign with another team’s active roster, so the Vikings would have to offer Mullens a 53-man spot if he’s available. Jacksonville has already elevated him twice this season, showing the Jaguars value him behind Trevor Lawrence.
The fit is obvious. With McCarthy jettisoned to the Big Apple and Murray already missing time once, bringing back a quarterback who knows the building should be on the table – – and perhaps expected.
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VikesNow Verdict: It’s a brutal ending to what was supposed to be the franchise’s quarterback succession plan from Kirk Cousins. New York gets the reclamation project. The Vikings are betting everything on Murray and the team around him.
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