J.J. McCarthy's name has popped up in NFL conversations recently following the season-ending injury suffered by New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart this past Monday. With Dart done for the year, some believe the Giants should make an attempt to acquire McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings in the near future.
If Jaxson Dart is done for the year, I think the @Giants should trade for Vikings third-string QB J.J. McCarthy. GM Joe Schoen considered him w/6th overall pick in 2024 (they took Malik Nabers). McCarthy helped Jim Harbaugh win national championship in 2023 and he loves McCarthy.…
— Gary Myers (@GaryMyersNY) September 22, 2026
McCarthy hasn't done anything for Minnesota this season other than take up space on the bench, and it doesn't seem like the Vikings currently have any interest in keeping him around long term, so should they pick up the phone if New York gives them a call?
How much would it take for the Vikings to trade J.J. McCarthy?
To get an idea of how much McCarthy might actually be worth in the trade market, let's look over some of the most recent quarterback trades that are comparable to Minnesota's current situation with the former Michigan signal-caller.
Zach Wilson - New York Jets to Denver Broncos (2024)
Broncos Received: Zach Wilson and a 2024 7th-round pick
Jets Received: 2024 6th-round pick
Justin Fields - Chicago Bears to Pittsburgh Steelers (2024)
Steelers Received: Justin Fields
Bears Received: 2025 6th-round pick
Kenny Pickett - Pittsburgh Steelers to Philadelphia Eagles (2024)
Eagles Received: Kenny Pickett and a 2024 4th-round pick
Steelers Received: 2024 3rd-round pick, 2025 7th-round pick, 2025 7th-round pick
Mac Jones - New England Patriots to Jacksonville Jaguars (2024)
Jaguars Received: Mac Jones
Patriots Received: 2024 6th-round pick
Trey Lance - San Francisco 49ers to Dallas Cowboys (2023)
Cowboys Received: Trey Lance
49ers Received: 2024 4th-round pick
Baker Mayfield - Cleveland Browns to Carolina Panthers (2022)
Panthers Received: Baker Mayfield
Browns Received: 2024 5th-round pick
So, of the last six quarterbacks to be traded by the team that originally drafted them before their second contracts, five were dealt for a Day 3 draft selection (round 4-7).
Kenny Pickett was the only one who was traded for a pick better than the fourth round, but in order to get that deal done, the Steelers also had to send a fourth-round selection to the Eagles.
Basically, dealing McCarthy should be able to get the Vikings a fourth-round draft pick in return, at best, and at worst, a sixth-round pick. Minnesota thinking they can get a Day 1 or Day 2 draft selection in a trade involving McCarthy just isn't realistic.
What do the New York Giants have to offer?
Going off of what was typically included in a return package in a trade involving a former first-round quarterback, at least one of New York's Day 3 draft picks in 2027 should be able to get the Vikings to agree to deal McCarthy.
For the 2027 NFL Draft, the Giants currently have no picks in the fourth round, two selections in the fifth round, and two in the sixth round. Since they have two picks in the fifth round, one would assume it wouldn't be too difficult for New York to part with one of those selections in a trade for a young quarterback.
What are the chances of the Vikings actually trading J.J. McCarthy to the Giants?
Despite McCarthy falling all the way to QB3 on Minnesota's depth chart since losing the team's QB1 competition to Kyler Murray earlier this year, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has expressed the desire to continue developing the former Michigan passer.
Whether O'Connell was actually being genuine about this desire or not is something for people to speculate about, but that might have been his way of saying to any interested teams, "up your offers."
With Murray and fellow Minnesota quarterback Carson Wentz not known for being the most durable quarterbacks throughout their NFL careers, the Vikings might be a little hesitant to move on from McCarthy during the middle of the current season.
But if a team like the Giants is willing to send over a 2027 third-round pick to acquire McCarthy, then that's a trade Minnesota should immediately agree to.
Heading into Week 3, the chances of that happening don't seem that high, despite New York's new need for another quarterback.
Chance Vikings send J.J. McCarthy to Giants
20 percent
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