Minnesota Vikings Get Called Out After J.J. McCarthy Decision

The Minnesota Vikings kept J.J. McCarthy on their 53-man roster after a week of trade and release rumors, giving the young quarterback another chance to prove himself in a crowded position group.

McCarthy sat out the preseason finale because of an ankle injury. That absence only added to the questions about his standing heading into the roster deadline.

Those questions did not end with a cut or a deal. Minnesota kept the 23-year-old on the initial 53-man roster.

He is now listed as the third quarterback behind starter Kyler Murray and veteran Carson Wentz. A sprained ankle is expected to keep him out for multiple weeks.

McCarthy will spend the early part of the season rehabbing and waiting for an opening. Murray and Wentz both have injury histories of their own, which could create an opportunity later.

The Vikings appear unwilling to give up on the former first-round pick just yet. That decision drew a sharp reaction from Shannon Sharpe.

“All things being equal, they probably kick the tires around and see if somebody was willing to trade for J.J. McCarthy,” Sharpe said on “Nightcap.”

“That’s what I would have done. The hardest thing, the biggest mistake that I think a lot of teams make, not just in pro sports, but a lot of the time, is they won’t admit I made a mistake. It’s okay. People make mistakes. You choose the wrong spouse; you choose the wrong girlfriend. You choose the wrong job. They choose the wrong employee. It happens.”

Sharpe argued the team should have either moved McCarthy or simply let him go rather than keep him in a reduced role.

“You exacerbate a situation when you refuse to admit that you’ve made said mistake and you stay in it, “ Sharpe said. “After a while, they don’t mean you any good and you don’t mean them any good, and you still won’t let it go. It’s not working out. I would rather let a person, if you and I are not working out, I’d rather you go somewhere and be happy than stay here and we both miserable. You know we miserable.”

McCarthy’s 2025 numbers as a starter were mixed. He played 310 pass snaps and earned a 61.8 PFF grade. He threw for 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, along with 19 big-time throws and 15 turnover-worthy plays.

Those results helped explain why Minnesota signed Murray in the spring and named him the starter well before the preseason ended.

Pete Bercich of the Vikings Audio Network said McCarthy’s job now is simple: stay ready.

“I think it leaves a lot of room for questions because he’s not the starter right now; Kyler Murray is,” Bercich said.

“I’ve said this before: J.J. McCarthy’s life is different now. He has to be ready. He has to be ready to play number two against the Green Bay Packers , to jump in there, take that spot and then never give it back. So it’s a different attitude. Gotta get himself back on the field.”

Whether McCarthy sees meaningful snaps this season remains unclear. A midseason trade is still possible if another team comes calling before the deadline.

For now, he stays in Minnesota, third on the depth chart and working his way back from the ankle sprain. The next few weeks will show if the Vikings’ patience pays off or if Sharpe’s view of the situation proves closer to the truth.