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ESPN Identifies Unexpected Viking as Trade Chip
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- ESPN Identifies Unexpected Viking as Trade Chip
Jeffrey Becker
Sometimes athletes react well to geographical cures, and ESPN devoted an entire article this week to players who could benefit from a change of scenery. For the Minnesota Vikings , that man is none other than quarterback J.J. McCarthy .
ESPN's angle puts McCarthy in the trade conversation, which turns heads because he's only started 10 games in his career.
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In an offseason when Minnesota will add another quarterback to compete with McCarthy or serve as backup insurance, ESPN's Aaron Schatz says the man needs a new team altogether.
ESPN's Trade Chip Angle Hits the Vikings
It's the "change of scenery" list.
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy shares a postgame exchange with Commanders cornerback Mike Sainristil at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Dec. 7, 2025, following a tightly contested matchup. McCarthy's visible emotion reflects the weight of late-season implications as Minnesota continued evaluating its young quarterback. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
ESPN Change-of-Scenery Candidate for MIN: J.J. McCarthy
All 32 teams received a mention by Schatz — players who should try their luck elsewhere.
On McCarthy, Schatz wrote , "This is likely never going to happen, because it would be ridiculous for the Vikings to unload a player who still has first-round upside after 10 starts. However, a fresh start for McCarthy with a different organization might be the best thing for his career."
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"Yes, you want a young quarterback to be with an offensive mind such as Minnesota coach Kevin O'Connell for the purposes of his development. However, things went so badly for the Vikings with McCarthy last season that it might be best to get him out of the shadow of Super Bowl winner Sam Darnold ."
McCarthy's head coach, Kevin O'Connell, once said that organizations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organizations, and with Schatz's idea, O'Connell would fall victim to his own declaration.
This Would … Have to Mean a Trade
There's no way the Vikings would release McCarthy, so the ESPN article implies a trade. That's right: after two years with McCarthy in the roster orbit, Minnesota would have to mail it in, presumably opting for a surer thing at quarterback.
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Schatz noted on his criteria, "Change is coming to every NFL team. There will be moves made in free agency and the draft, of course, but there also will be unexpected trades and player cuts. So far this offseason, there have been rumors about top stars Maxx Crosby , Kyler Murray and A.J. Brown potentially moving on from their franchises. But more shocking moves are likely to come."
"Every offseason, there are players who need a change of scenery for a variety of reasons. Some players just never quite develop and could benefit from a new coaching staff that might be able to unlock their potential. Some have worn out their welcome because of a lack of success on the field. Others just want to go to a winning team."
The Vikings can control McCarthy's contract for the next three years, and a change of scenery must include a trade, assuming McCarthy didn't get into some kind of mind-blowing trouble that would mandate his release.
Where to Trade Him?
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Here's the really fascinating aspect of Schatz's theory — McCarthy's landing spot. Which team would the Vikings do business with?
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) works through pregame drills at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, on Sep. 8, 2025, ahead of a divisional matchup with the Bears. McCarthy cycles through footwork and throwing sequences as teammates complete nearby reps before kickoff. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
A shortlist might look like this:
Baltimore Ravens : The fringe Lamar Jackson trade rumors turn out not to be fringe at all, and the new-look Ravens embark on 2026 with a new head coach (Jesse Minter) and quarterback (McCarthy). Jackson to Minnesota.
Cincinnati Bengals : Joe Burrow requests a trade out of disgruntlement, and as part of a deal that would include multiple 1st-Round draft assets, McCarthy heads to Cincinnati.
Houston Texans : NFL draft expert Todd McShay whispered this week that C.J. Stroud could be traded. For this one, it would be McCarthy and a draft pick to Houston for Stroud.
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Too Early to Quit McCarthy
While it's frustrating that McCarthy has missed 70% of Vikings games due to various injuries, the franchise owes it to itself to see if the youngster turns the corner in Year No. 3. Reminder: this is the organization that gave up on Sam Darnold during the 2025 offseason, and 11 months later, Darnold hoisted a Lombardi trophy in Seattle . One might think Minnesota learned its lesson on giving up on frustrating quarterbacks too soon.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Nov. 16, 2025, before facing the Chicago Bears. McCarthy loosens his arm during pregame routines as Minnesota prepares for the divisional contest. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The best solution for the Kevin O'Connell-led Vikings is to thread the needle. Keep McCarthy in-house — deny him the ESPN-drive change of scenery — while finding a way to land a quarterback like Kyler Murray , Mac Jones , Malik Willis , Anthony Richardson , or Will Levis . With all of those options, McCarthy could strut his stuff at training camp, hoping to keep hold of his QB1 job. The Vikings, meanwhile, would have a sturdy contingency plan.
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Of course, if the Bengals actually came knocking, dangling Burrow as a trade asset, then all bets are off. Ship McCarthy to Cincinnati and flourish with Burrow. It's just that a Burrow trade isn't likely until the 2027 offseason — if it happens at all.
