There has been a ton of noise surrounding Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy and his future with the team after having a slow start to his NFL career.
Those talks have started to simmer down after his last two games, where he has scored six touchdowns and thrown just one interception, beating the Washington Commanders and the Dallas Cowboys. While it might have quieted down the noise, it won't stop speculating about what's going to happen with the young second-year problem.
ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler shared some interesting potential trade candidates for the offseason and brought up the possibility of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray being traded. Fowler's ideal landing spot for Murray? How about the Vikings?
"Does a safe landing spot exist for Murray? Working with, say, Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota would be ideal, but J.J. McCarthy has shown improvement over the past two weeks."
Would a Murray vs. McCarthy work for the Minnesota Vikings in 2026?
It's been a rough season for Murray in the desert, as he has only played the first five games of the season and has missed every game since with a foot sprain that looks to keep him out the rest of the season. He went 2-3 as the starter, completing 68.3% of his passes for 962 yards and six touchdowns to three interceptions, adding 173 yards and one more touchdown.
As for McCarthy, he is 4-4 as the starter and has dealt with injuries this season, including a high-ankle sprain and a concussion. He's completed just 56.8% of his passes for 1,342 yards and 11 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. McCarthy also has 154 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
This would make for a fascinating battle in training camp between two starting-caliber quarterbacks who are built differently. McCarthy has more of the typical quarterback build than Murray, who is under six feet tall.
The big difference is that even though McCarthy can use his legs, Murray is one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the NFL and can be dangerous to run with the ball. One problem with Murray is his height; at times, he has to run out of the pocket to find an open receiver, as he may not be able to see over the line.
There is a high chance the Vikings bring in competition for Minnesota this offseason to push McCarthy, and Murray would certainly do that, but he comes at a high price, as he has two more years left on his contract. Minnesota would be looking at cap hits of $53 million in 2026 and $43 million in 2027.
That might be a steep price for Minnesota to pay, but is it worth the risk? With how this season has turned out, it might be.