3 Surprise Teams Have Contacted Minnesota Vikings About Potential J.J. McCarthy Trade

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

J.J. McCarthy’s offseason could take a big turn if recent rumors materialize. The former No. 10 pick will face strong competition in the 2026 NFL season after the Vikings signed Kyler Murray to a one-year deal.

After an underwhelming first season, fans wanted the Vikings to bring in competition for McCarthy. More than that, his tenure with the team could be close to an end, as the Vikings aren’t completely opposed to the idea of trading him, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reported.

“This cannot be completely ruled out. Two factors matter in the overall calculus: How perturbed are McCarthy and his camp by the Murray signing? And what would other teams offer?” Lewis wrote. “Trading McCarthy would leave no murkiness around the hierarchy in the quarterback room. The Vikings invested too much in McCarthy, though, to pull the plug for anything other than top-tier compensation.”

3 Teams Emerge As Potential Landing Spots For J.J. McCarthy

On Saturday, Charles Walter of the Pioneer Press mentioned three teams that could show interest in McCarthy this offseason. The options include a reunion with one of his former coaches.

“The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns seem like teams that might have an interest in McCarthy, potentially as a starter. The Los Angeles Chargers, coached by Jim Harbaugh, who coached McCarthy to a national championship at Michigan in 2004, would seem a third possibility as a backup to Justin Herbert,” Walter wrote.

The Vikings nearly traded McCarthy to the Las Vegas Raiders last season. The options appear wider this offseason, but nothing has materialized yet. Each of those three teams has alternatives to McCarthy, which could keep him in Minnesota beyond the 2026 offseason. Walters added that unlocking negotiations would cost teams a “high enough” draft pick.