Schefter: 'Definitely Think' Teams Will Pursue J.J. McCarthy Trade amid Darnold Buzz

As the Minnesota Vikings look to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs with Sam Darnold as their quarterback, the team's future direction at the position after selecting J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft is unclear.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the expectation is teams will "definitely" call the Vikings this offseason to inquire about McCarthy's availability.

Darnold's performance as the starter in Minnesota has left the franchise in an enviable position going into the offseason.

The simplest solution would be to use the franchise tag on Darnold, give him another year to prove he's capable of playing at a high level and potentially sign him to a long-term deal after the 2025 season.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, the Vikings want Darnold back next season. The projected value for a quarterback on the franchise tag in 2025 is $41.3 million. Minnesota has more than enough cap space with an estimated $78.1 million available.

This scenario is complicated because if Darnold proves not to be the Vikings' long-term answer, they will have gone two years into McCarthy's rookie contract without seeing what he's capable of doing.

McCarthy was considered a developmental prospect coming out of Michigan due to his limited starting experience (29 games over two seasons) and the style of offense he played in.

It's not impossible for a young quarterback prospect to sit multiple years and still be successful in the NFL. Jordan Love is a prime example of that when he was drafted as a 21-year-old by the Green Bay Packers but didn't become the full-time starter until his fourth season.

Based on the current draft order, there are six teams picking in the top 10 that could be in the market for a new quarterback. The problem is there are only two quarterbacks with a first-round grade in the 2025 class, per the most recent big board from B/R's NFL scouting department.

Darnold doesn't turn 28 until June 5, so it's not like the Vikings have to worry about his age if they want to give him a long-term deal. He has thrown for 4,153 yards, 35 touchdowns and a 68.1 completion percentage in 16 starts this season.

Shopping McCarthy would also allow the Vikings to recoup some of the assets they gave up last year as part of their maneuvering to select him. They currently have just three picks in the 2025 draft, with their first-round selection being their only pick in the first four rounds.