Will a Vikings 23-Year-Old QB Get Traded During the 2026 Season?
Both Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport have reported that Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that Carson Wentz will be the team’s backup quarterback for the 2026 season behind Kyler Murray. This move now makes the Vikings' 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy the third quarterback on the team, which certainly isn’t where the 23-year-old QB wants to be. McCarthy led the Michigan Wolverines to an undefeated 15-0 record in 2024, the first time that’s happened for the Wolverines since 1997. Now, the 2023 National Champion is on the verge of possibly being on the move during the 2026 season.
O’Connell stated, when naming Wentz as the backup quarterback, that “This gives us the best chance to win”. That has to hurt the confidence of the 23-year-old who’s been fighting to make a name for himself once again after dealing with multiple injuries a season ago. During Week Two of the 2025 NFL season, McCarthy suffered a high ankle sprain and would miss the next five games. He would return in the Vikings’ Week Nine matchup against the Detroit Lions; however, a month later, the 23-year-old would miss Minnesota’s Week 13 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks due to a concussion. Finally, after getting the win over the New York Giants in Week 16, McCarthy would miss Week 17’s game against the Lions because of a hairline fracture in his throwing hand. Many wondered what route the team would take next with him.
Could the 2023 National Champion be moved from Minnesota this season? Absolutely, if the Vikings feel Murray and Wentz provide enough stability at the position, McCarthy could very well be on his way out. This would come just two years after drafting him, showing how much the Vikings' thinking has changed on the 23-year-old. An injury to Murray or Wentz could provide McCarthy with an opportunity to prove himself again to the Minnesota faithful, but it will be a daunting mountain to climb, especially after O’Connell put it out there that he does not believe McCarthy gives enough to help the Vikings be successful. The 2023 National Champion quarterback could certainly be moved and find success somewhere other than Minnesota, yet he needs to recapture the NFL’s attention again before it’s too late.
