The Minnesota Vikings currently have four quarterbacks on the roster: Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. The first two names on that list are, apparently, competing for the starting job this season, Wentz is here to provide depth, and Brosmer is. . .here. For now, I guess.
The situation at quarterback appears to be better than it was at this time last year, but apparently there are corners of the internet that feel that it could be better. Over at ESPN, they’re projecting
potential trades for a handful of veteran players, and have come to the conclusion that it would make sense for the Vikings to flip a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for quarterback Anthony Richardson.
In this discussion, four different writers submit hypothetical offers for Richardson and one is determined to be the best. Here is the logic behind why the Vikings’ offer for Richardson is the one that was accepted.
There doesn’t appear to be total alignment on Richardson between Colts coach Shane Steichen and GM Chris Ballard. The latter seems more inclined to try to make it work this season, while the former seems content with Leonard as Daniel Jones‘ backup. But if Ballard can recoup a substantive pick for Richardson, he’s likely to come around.
The win-win here is Walder’s offer from the Vikings. First, it gives the Colts a fifth-rounder without a pick swap like Solak’s offer from Detroit. And Minnesota’s fifth-rounder will likely come earlier than Green Bay’s fifth-rounder, giving this deal the edge over Fowler’s pitch. Additionally, it would allow Indianapolis to accommodate Richardson, as Ballard has said he’d like to do, by pairing him with a QB developer in O’Connell. That’s precisely what Richardson has been hoping for.
It’s worth pointing out that the Vikings’ hypothetical offer of a fifth-round pick is even the best offer on the hypothetical table. The Lions offered a fourth-round pick in exchange for Richardson and a 2028 fifth-round pick, so this already doesn’t make a great deal of sense. Pair that with the fact that ESPN’s Seth Walder, in his role as Vikings’ GM in this scenario, suggests that the Vikings would either keep both Richardson and J.J. McCarthy if this trade were to happen or trade McCarthy away in a separate deal.
This makes less and less sense the more I type about it. Yes, McCarthy hasn’t shown a great deal in his 10 NFL starts, though he did show improvement towards the end of last season. On the other hand. . .precisely what has Anthony Richardson shown in his three years in the NFL? You’ve got injury concerns with McCarthy? Well, Richardson can’t stay healthy either. Richardson is also the guy who pulled himself out of a game because he was tired, which I’m sure went over super well with his teammates, and the one season where he started the majority of the games for the Colts, he couldn’t complete fifty percent of his passes.
Not sixty percent. Fifty percent. As in not even half.
You can be as sour on J.J. McCarthy as you want. I think I’ve made it abundantly clear in this space that I am not sour on him at all. But whether you like him or not, I fail to see where replacing him with Anthony Richardson makes this football team better in any way, shape, or form.
