EssentiallySports’ Tony Pauline reports the Vikings are “quietly exploring an exit strategy” for J.J. McCarthy.

01 March 2026

You rarely see a quarterback talked about in public the way McCarthy has been this offseason — we can’t remember the last time it was leaked that a coaching staff didn’t trust a quarterback to take throws over the middle of the field. So it does make some sense that the Vikings could cut ties with McCarthy. A source told Pauline that “the team is really down” on McCarthy and is ready to move on from him. We’re not sure who would be in the market for him (Harbaugh reunion in Los Angeles as a backup?) after these past two seasons, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Vikings tried to find a market for him.