The Minnesota Vikings are expected to re-sign starting quarterback Sam Darnold this offseason, according to various reports in recent weeks. Darnold is playing like a top-five quarterback and has the Vikings contending for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Retaining him will place rookie signal-caller J.J. McCarthy in limbo.
The Vikings traded up for McCarthy in the 2024 NFL Draft after signing Darnold to a one-year bridge contract worth $10 million. Darnold has at least quadrupled his value this season while playing like a long-term starter. Meanwhile, McCarthy is rehabbing from a season-ending knee injury suffered during the preseason.
Even if Darnold returns to Minnesota in 2025, the Vikings still possess an incentive to retain McCarthy as an eventual succession plan, but QB-needy teams around the league will likely make calls about his availability. We've identified three potential landing spots.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are currently slated to own the No. 2 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. That may allow them to draft either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward. Being familiar with the offense that head coach Brian Callahan is running in Nashville, McCarthy may be a better fit for what he's trying to achieve.
Will Levis was benched in favor of Mason Rudolph following a four-turnover performance versus the Cincinnati Bengals. The Titans will definitely be in the market for a new starting quarterback this offseason. Rudolph is playing on an expiring contract. Will his replacement be a rookie or a veteran? Trading for McCarthy would represent an alternative solution.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders picked up an ill-advised win over the New Orleans Saints over the weekend. It potentially did irreparable damage to their positioning in the draft order. As a result of their meaningless late-season victory, the Raiders dropped to No. 8 overall.
Experienced general manager Tom Telesco may feel a need to get creative at quarterback this offseason when attempting to replace Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew. Acquiring McCarthy would be pricey, but it’d be a better alternative to the veteran options available if they miss out on drafting Ward and Sanders. McCarthy would appreciate having a weapon like Brock Bowers at his disposal to ease his transition to starting quarterback.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are currently at No. 3 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft order. General manager Andrew Berry recently restructured the bloated contract of Deshaun Watson, but he's still signed through the 2026 campaign without an escape route. The only option the Browns have this offseason is to acquire a low-cost quarterback to compete with Watson for the starting gig throughout training camp. He has not offered the team starting-caliber play since signing a $230 million contract.
The Browns may have serious interest in drafting Ward or Sanders. McCarthy is also on the cost-controlled rookie contract that will appeal to the Browns this summer. If Berry misses out on his preferred quarterback prospect in the draft, acquiring McCarthy would provide a potential solution to their Watson problem.
