Pro Football Network Drops J.J. McCarthy Trade Proposal

The Minnesota Vikings don’t appear to have any urgent interest in trading third-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy, but according to Pro Football Network, the 23-year-old would look nice in New York Jets green.

A New York angle just added more fuel to the McCarthy rumor mill.

Some have mentioned McCarthy trade theories, here and there, since Kyler Murray arrived in the Twin Cities three weeks ago. PFN’s Josh Weil is the latest.

The Jets Proposal Would Test Minnesota’s QB Commitment

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PFN: McCarthy to Jets Make Sense

Weil actually dished out a few McCarthy trade proposals, and for the Jets, he explained, “New York trades a 2026 second-round pick (No. 44 overall) to Minnesota for McCarthy and a 2026 third-round pick (No. 97 overall). Will the reunion with Geno Smith result in success for the Jets? Maybe, but with an aging quarterback who has had his share of injuries, bringing in a backup with more upside than Brady Cook can make an injury not devastating for the Jets.”

“They would be able to focus on other positions with their higher draft picks and still bring in a hungry McCarthy, who could very well win the starting job over Smith.”

To date, McCarthy has expressed no discontent about Murray’s arrival, and to be traded, McCarthy would likely have to request it.

A Pretty Fair Price

While the PFN trade proposal probably isn’t realistic — the Jets can rather easily draft Alabama’s Ty Simpson in three weeks if they want a quarterback — fetching a 2nd-Rounder for McCarthy would feel like an impressive consolation.

The Vikings did not draft well — at all — under former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, and truth be told, as of now, McCarthy is a part of that ball of wax. Adofo-Mensah only connected on approximately 15% to 20% of draft picks, which is why Minnesota currently has one of the oldest rosters in the NFL.

Therefore, stockpiling any number of worthwhile draft picks cannot be ignored, especially if the Vikings’ brass believe Kyler Murray is in the mix to remain the long-term starter. Other quarterbacks who haven’t panned out, like Anthony Richardson and Will Levis, are usually attached to late-round picks in trade proposals.

The Vikings would be forced to listen if a 2nd-Rounder were involved.

The Ensemble for McCarthy in NYJ

According to NFL Lines, the Jets showcased the NFL’s 19th-best offensive line in 2025, one spot below Minnesota at No. 18. On paper, McCarthy would inherit a similar offensive line setup.

The defense? That’s a different beast — and now a good one. The Vikings ranked third last season per defensive DVOA; McCarthy had it good. New York, on the other hand, checked in at No. 31, also known as second-worst in the NFL. The Jets have made a bonanza of defensive moves in free agency; here’s to hoping, for their sake, that those transactions raise the floor for the league’s second-worst defense, led by head coach Aaron Glenn, who’s supposed to be a defensive guru.

For weaponry, McCarthy would work with this setup:

• Breece Hall (RB)
• Garrett Wilson (WR)
• Mason Taylor (TE)
• Adonai Mitchell (WR)
• Braelon Allen (RB)

The Jets could also be in play to draft a wide receiver in the first three rounds three weeks from now.

Other Trade Ideas

Weil also mentioned a McCarthy trade to Cleveland: “Cleveland trades a 2026 third-round pick (No. 70 overall) and a 2026 fifth-round pick (No. 149 overall) to Minnesota for McCarthy. While the Browns picked a pair of quarterbacks in last year’s draft and still have Deshaun Watson under contract, it is clear they are looking for someone to come in and run away with the job.”

“It seems like the Browns didn’t want to invest a first-round pick in the position, but getting a first-round quarterback at pennies on the dollar in terms of draft stock may make them buyers for McCarthy. McCarthy’s QB Impact Score last season was 64.5, resulting in a D grade. While this is a far cry from where his expectations are, he still cleared Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel by a wide margin in that category.”

The Browns’ brass said this week it plans to recommit to Deshaun Watson as the QB1 in 2026, but if he flounders, well, McCarthy might be a nice insurance policy.

Weil also spitballed McCarthy to Arizona: “Arizona trades a 2026 third-round pick (No. 65 overall) and a 2026 fifth-round pick (No. 143 overall) to Minnesota for McCarthy.”

In that scenario, the Vikings and Cardinals would basically swap quarterbacks, with Murray to Minnesota in addition to a 3rd-Rounder and 5th-Rounder, as McCarthy would fight with Jacoby Brissett for a starting job.

If no trades materialize, the Vikings still have three years of team control on McCarthy’s rookie deal.