J.J McCarthy’s future in serious jeopardy as Vikings explore two key quarterback replacements
J.J. McCarthy may still be on the Minnesota Vikings when the 2026 NFL season rolls around.
Whether he will be the Vikings’ starter, though, is uncertain.
Having missed his rookie season in 2024 with injury, many awaited in great anticipation of what the former Michigan Wolverines star quarterback could do on an NFL field.
His debut season, though, didn’t quite go to plan.
Having gone 14-3 in 2024 with Sam Darnold under center, the Vikings moved on from the veteran QB in favor of their 10th overall pick.
In an injury-riddled campaign in which he made just 10 outings, McCarthy completed just 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards and 11 touchdowns, while he fired 12 interceptions.
He rushed for an additional 181 yards and four scores as the Vikings went 6-4 with him starting under center.
Darnold, meanwhile, joined the Seattle Seahawks and spearheaded them to a Super Bowl victory, only their second in franchise history.
Now, the Vikings are targeting a veteran quarterback to compete – and possibly replace – McCarthy as the starter.
According to ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano the Vikings could look to pursue Geno Smith or Kyler Murray, both of whom have been linked with moves away from the Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals, respectively.
“The odd quarterback landscape of this offseason makes it difficult to predict where the Vikings land, but if and when someone such as Geno Smith or Kyler Murray gets cut, I could see Minnesota pursuing that kind of passer on a low-cost, one-year prove-it deal,” Graziano wrote on Sunday.
“Bringing in a veteran quarterback who has had some success in the league could be what the Vikings need to get McCarthy’s attention.
“It would remind him about the parts of his game he still needs to work on and get him back on track to where Minnesota can hopefully harness his talent and build him into the franchise QB it thought he was when it drafted him.“
Smith is coming off a disastrous season in which he led the NFL in interceptions (17) to just 20 touchdowns, while Murray’s – much like McCarthy – campaign was riddled with various injury ailments.
Graziano also makes the case that should they be unable to land a Smith or a Murray, then they could seek veterans who are nearer retirement, naming Joe Flacco, former Vikings star Kirk Cousins – who could yet opt to move into TV – and 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, whose future with the Pittsburgh Steelers is still up in the air.
Should Minnesota opt to go down this route, then this will more likely than not be just a stop-gap as they evaluate the long-term potential of the former National Champion as their franchise cornerstone.
Vikings making a QB tier list
Furthermore, with all options seemingly on the table, Minnesota have also been linked with potentially trading for an unproven star in the NFL, with Davis Mills, Tanner McKee and Anthony Richardson Sr., though that may not put the Vikings in a position to contend now.
While ESPN analyst Jeremy Fowler has also heard the mutterings that the Vikings have shown interest in Smith and Murray, he also believes that Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa could be a viable target.
“I’ve also heard that the Vikings are considering Murray and Smith as they outline their veteran quarterback plan,” Fowler wrote.
“Tua Tagovailoa and Cousins are also on their radar. Some I’ve talked to are breaking those four into two tiers, with Murray and Smith in the first group.
“None of those quarterbacks are free agents, but Cousins will be soon, and the others are available via either a trade or a release.
“The expectation leaguewide is that a combination of Murray, Smith and Tagovailoa — and possibly all three — will be free agents soon enough, barring intensified trade talks.
“And many quarterbacks view Minnesota as an attractive destination.”
The NFL is sure to look different in 2026 with the amount of quarterbacks which are expected to be on the move.
With that in mind, the Vikings have a plethora of options available to them.
Whether they can attract any of their top targets to the Land of 1000 Lakes, though, remains to be seen with the 2026 season officially opening for business on March 11.
There is no guarantee that McCarthy will be on the roster either, especially if it will require a trade to get one of their preferred signal callers into the building.
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