The J.J. McCarthy era is officially over, if it ever truly began.
Drafted to be the future of the Minnesota Vikings, McCarthy was taken with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Now that No. 10 is taking on a different meaning – the amount of starts the Michigan product made in his two-plus seasons with the team.
The Vikings elected to trade McCarthy to the quarterback-needy New York Giants on Sept. 28
, helping "Big Blue" fill the depth chart after losing Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury.McCarthy's departure was seemingly inevitable after the 23-year-old failed to secure even the backup job out of training camp. He was instead listed as QB3 behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz heading into Week 1. Plagued by injuries and on-field
struggles, McCarthy was unable to replicate the success that Sam Darnold had before him.
In the end, both sides had to go their separate ways. So what does it mean? Here's what the future holds for the Vikings at the most important position in sports.
What does the J.J. McCarthy trade mean for the Vikings?
In terms of the 2026 season, the McCarthy trade means nothing. The Vikings will recoup a fifth-round pick for a player that wasn't going to see the field barring a catastrophe. Both Murray and Wentz would've needed to be injured for McCarthy to get into a game.
The Vikings are 3-0 and sitting atop the NFC North despite being without their starting quarterback for most of the season to this point.
Looking beyond the 2026 season is where things get interesting, however.
What's next for the Vikings at QB?
The Vikings are too good to bottom out for a top draft pick, but they also might not be good enough to be a slam-dunk Super Bowl contender.
Minnesota is seemingly locked in NFL purgatory with no real path forward. Of course, that doesn't mean a path won't eventually emerge.
The easiest solution is for Murray to stake his claim to the QB1 job by playing well this season. Early returns haven't been promising for the 29-year-old, but that doesn't mean he won't figure it out in a new offense. When Murray is at his best, he is a dual-threat quarterback that showcases his speed and athleticism in addition to quality arm strength.
It remains to be seen if Murray can get back to that level or if the Vikings will be willing to wait. The quarterback is on a one-year deal and can't be franchise tagged for 2027, meaning both sides would have to want to continue their relationship beyond 2026.
If it's not Murray, then things really get interesting.
Who could the Vikings target at QB in free agency?
The 2027 NFL free agent class doesn't have a clear quarterback option worth targeting, meaning the Vikings would again have to go down the road of reclamation project like they did with Darnold and Murray.
Here are some of the projected options:
Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
In terms of upside, it would be hard to do much better than Richardson. The Colts gave him permission to seek a trade during the offseason and nothing came to fruition.
Another player with injury concerns, no one has ever questioned whether Richardson has the tools to be successful. He is a change of scenery candidate and perhaps Kevin O'Connell could get the best out of him.
Davis Mills, Houston Texans
Mills isn't the most inspiring option, but he has proven to be serviceable. The Texans weren't a good team during his initial run as a starter, but the veteran proved to be a capable game manager when C.J. Stroud was sidelined in 2025.
Maybe the Vikings catch lightning in a bottle. At the very least, this is a move where they can kick the idea of facing the future down the road again for another year.
Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
Like Darnold, Jones would be packing his bags and leaving San Francisco. The former Patriots signal-caller has spent time learning in Kyle Shanahan's offense and might want an opportunity to lead his own team again.
As he showcased during Brock Purdy's absence in 2025, Jones presents with at least some level of upside.
Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
If all else fails, the veteran route is always an option during the offseason. Brissett's future in Arizona remains unclear, especially if the team drafts a quarterback next offseason.
This is one that makes sense for both sides if it comes to that.
Vikings QB options in 2027 NFL Draft
The Vikings likely won't be in a spot to draft Arch Manning, Darian Mensah or Dante Moore, but options are aplenty in 2027.
There is a real chance that there are seven quarterbacks worthy of being drafted in the first round. Every little bit helps a team like the Vikings, who own their first-round pick.
Trinidad Chambliss is arguably the best player in college football and probably would be considered the top prospect if it wasn't for size concerns.
CJ Carr and Julian Sayin both play for powerhouses, meaning they should get some reps against some top tier competition later in the season.
And Drew Mestemaker is perhaps the most interesting player of the bunch. The Oklahoma State star already made headlines for his role in pulling off an upset over Oregon. Just two weeks later, he followed that up by picking apart West Virginia on the road in a hostile environment.
Mestemaker will play his way into the first round, especially since he already has the prototypical size teams want in a quarterback.
All in all, the Vikings aren't in a terrible spot. They admitted defeat on the McCarthy experiment and are poised to take another swing in the upcoming draft.
The future is brighter than you might expect.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What's next for Vikings after J.J. McCarthy trade? Free agent, draft options for 2027
