The Minnesota Vikings will give J.J. McCarthy every opportunity to confirm they made the right choice, positioning him to be their starting quarterback in training camp. It could be an issue if the Vikings have any plans to reunite with Kirk Cousins via trade.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini named the Vikings among the teams that could trade for the Atlanta Falcons’ four-time Pro Bowler. Cousins spent six years with the franchise.
However, that is where the good news would end for the Vikings.
“The Browns, Steelers and possibly Vikings could be involved in a Cousins trade. Minnesota is looked at as the least likely scenario, given its preference for J.J. McCarthy and that Cousins would need to sign off on any trade he is involved in,” Russini wrote on April 23. “It’s believed that Cousins would be against any trade that involves sending him to a situation involving a young QB, similar to the situation he faced in Atlanta last year. If a trade were to happen, I’d expect it to go down on Saturday.”
Saturday is when Day 3 of the 2025 draft takes place.
That gives teams far greater clarity about what they need to address before OTAs and training camp. The Vikings bolstered their lines on both sides of the ball, added at cornerback, and traded for a backup running back.
Aside from the financial ramifications, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell would also need to be on board with making such a move.
He would not be the only one, either.
Vikings & Steelers Linked to Same QBs
Russini’s report comes after former NFL head coach Eric Mangini suggested McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 draft, might not deter Cousins.
Mangini speculated that Cousins could believe he can outplay the second-year QB.
“Kirk is a little bit interesting. Because when he left, he left because the money wasn’t right. But everything that I’ve read is that the relationship with the organization was great. The relationship with the city was great, the relationship with the coaches great. He might be of the mindset of, ‘This gives me my best chance to be successful.’” Mangini said on “Get Up” on April 15.
“He may come in saying, ‘Yeah, I don’t want to start.’ Whereas internally, yeah, he feels like he can beat out J.J. McCarthy if he goes back. And if he doesn’t, he’s in an environment that’s great, and his money is guaranteed anyways.”
However, the Vikings could face competition in a trade for Cousins.
“Obviously, we’re all waiting on Kirk Cousins and what happens there. And my guess, ultimately, would be that they find a new home for him,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on “The Adam Schefter Podcast” on April 22. “I don’t know whether that’s Minnesota. I don’t know if it’s Pittsburgh if the Aaron Rodgers opportunity fizzles, but those would be two places that would make some sense to me.”
The Vikings rebuffed the idea of bringing him in under the current context, but they are looking for another experienced QB.
Vikings Limited Assets a Factor in Trade Plans
The Vikings are limited in what they can – or even simply are willing to – do on the trade market. That is, unless it is a deal to acquire more selections.
“Minnesota Vikings, they have the fewest picks of any team in the draft this year – four,” Schefter said during the podcast. “If they could find a spot in which they could move back in the draft and get more picks, I think the Vikings would love to be able to do that.”
The Vikings have not seen much value from recent draft classes under general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
The jury remains out on the 2024 crop of prospects.
McCarthy and fellow first-round pick Dallas Turner, No. 17 overall in the class, played very little or not at all as rookies. The Vikings traded up to acquire the picks used on both players. They surrendered more value than those picks were worth and dipped into their future reserves.
