The Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals top the list of realistic trade partners should the Minnesota Vikings throw in the J.J. McCarthy towel. None should be expected to surrender premium draft capital, but each has a reason to gamble on the 23-year-old quarterback.
The arm talent and athleticism that made McCarthy the No. 10 pick haven’t disappeared. Minnesota simply hasn’t turned those traits into consistent NFL quarterback play, and a lower-pressure change of scenery could be exactly what unlocks him.
The timing works. Rosters must be trimmed to 53 players by Sunday at 6 p.m. ET, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has floated the possibility of Minnesota taking calls. He hasn’t reported an imminent trade, however, so the McCarthy trade chatter remains exactly that.
After the Vikings named Kyler Murray the starter, a conditional fifth-round pick that becomes a fourth based on playing time feels realistic. McCarthy’s 2026 cash payout is approximately $2.8 million, and he’s under contract through 2027.
6 teams that could make a J.J. McCarthy trade work
Arizona Cardinals
The reverse-Kyler trade. Arizona sending the guy who beat out McCarthy for QB1 back the other way would be an irresistible storyline. Arizona released Murray, watched him win Minnesota’s job and could respond by acquiring the quarterback Murray displaced.
While it's feasible, the Cardinals QB room is pretty crowded as-is with Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew ahead of third-round rookie Carson Beck. That’s enough experience to survive 2026, but there’s no established long-term answer. McCarthy wouldn’t need to play immediately. He could spend a year repairing his mechanics and confidence before competing with Beck in 2027.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh has Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard and rookie Drew Allar. That’s one short-term starter followed by two different varieties of maybe – and never-gonna-start-post-Rodgers Rudolph.
The Steelers were already among The Viking Age’s most logical McCarthy suitors, and the fit hasn’t disappeared. Pittsburgh rarely embraces a full teardown, so buying a former No. 10 pick for Day 3 compensation would be very on-brand. McCarthy could learn from Rodgers while competing with Howard and Allar to become the 2027 starter.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield is entering the final season of his three-year contract, and Tampa Bay hasn’t extended him. With Jake Browning, Jalon Daniels and Connor Bazelak behind him, the Buccaneers don’t have an obvious succession plan.
McCarthy could spend 2026 as Mayfield’s backup before competing for the job next year. Tampa Bay should also appreciate the value of patience with a discarded first-round quarterback, considering Mayfield’s own career detour. If Mayfield eventually re-signs, McCarthy remains a developmental QB2. If he leaves, the Bucs have a 24-year-old lottery ticket instead of an empty depth chart.
New York Jets
Geno Smith is the bridge. Fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik is supposed to represent the future, but his rough preseason finale didn’t settle the backup competition.
McCarthy would immediately become the higher-upside developmental option. He has already started 10 NFL games, going 6-4 despite completing only 57.6 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The Jets could let Smith handle 2026, then give McCarthy and Klubnik a legitimate competition next summer. For once, New York could have an actual quarterback competition instead of another bridge leading to another bridge.
Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh coached McCarthy at Michigan, won a national championship with him and knows exactly which parts of his game require rebuilding. No awkward introductions needed.
Justin Herbert eliminates any temptation to rush McCarthy onto the field. The Chargers could let him compete with Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei for the backup job while Harbaugh works on the footwork, touch and processing issues that have followed him in Minnesota. McCarthy wouldn’t be Herbert’s successor. He’d be a reclamation project the Chargers could eventually flip or develop into a reliable QB2.
Baltimore Ravens
Ravens head coach Jesse Minter was Michigan’s defensive coordinator during McCarthy’s two seasons as the Wolverines’ starter. He didn’t coach the quarterback position, but he saw McCarthy’s preparation and competitiveness every day.
Baltimore also offers a low-pressure runway behind Lamar Jackson. Tyler Huntley is a useful backup, though McCarthy brings considerably more developmental upside. His mobility would allow the Ravens to preserve parts of their offense if Jackson missed time, while Minter’s familiarity reduces some of the evaluation risk. Baltimore loves buying discounted talent. McCarthy certainly qualifies.
Minnesota’s smartest move may remain doing absolutely nothing. McCarthy’s value is depressed, Murray has a lengthy injury history and a conditional fifth-rounder won’t help the Vikings win in September. Take the calls, sure. Just don’t turn a former top-10 pick into somebody else’s cheap lottery ticket because the roster deadline created an artificial sense of panic.
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