J.J. McCarthy’s future in Minnesota has gone from presumed franchise quarterback to genuine cutdown-day mystery. Daniel Jeremiah thinks the Minnesota Vikings should explore one last option before making any irreversible decision: call Jim Harbaugh.
Daniel Jeremiah Wants Vikings to Call Jim Harbaugh
With Sunday’s 6 p.m. ET roster deadline approaching, Jeremiah suggested Minnesota see whether the Los Angeles Chargers would be interested in reuniting McCarthy with the coach who helped turn him into a national champion at Michigan.
The idea came during a discussion on NFL Network of whether the Vikings should keep, trade, or cut the former No. 10 overall pick.
“My initial thought was keep (McCarthy) because you don’t want to quit on young quarterbacks, but this feels a little different,” Jeremiah said.
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He then looked west, toward one of the most obvious landing spots if Minnesota decides McCarthy needs a fresh start.
“When I look at the landscape and really just across the street here, Jim Harbaugh had a lot of success with J.J. McCarthy,” Jeremiah said. “Is that a phone call you’re at least making to see what that market might look like?”
“Make him a backup here for the guy he’s very familiar with,” Jeremiah added.
Should the Vikings keep, trade, or cut J.J. McCarthy? @MoveTheSticks thinks a college reunion could be in the cards 👀 pic.twitter.com/urD0NHzu6Z
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 29, 2026
Jeremiah finished the thought with the line at the center of his pitch.
“I’m just throwing it out there. At least make the phone call if you’re Minnesota,” he said. “Before you cut him, you definitely would like to trade him.”
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A reunion would carry obvious familiarity. McCarthy went 27-1 as Michigan’s starter and helped Harbaugh’s Wolverines finish 15-0 with the 2023 national championship before both left Ann Arbor for the NFL.
The Chargers, however, are not desperate at quarterback. Justin Herbert is entrenched as the starter, while Los Angeles currently lists Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei behind him. Jeremiah’s proposal would therefore be about development and fit, not handing McCarthy another immediate starting job.
McCarthy’s Vikings Future Reaches Decision Day
Minnesota’s quarterback room changed quickly this summer. Kyler Murray won the starting job, while Carson Wentz has pushed for the No. 2 role. McCarthy then missed Friday’s 34-6 preseason loss to Denver because of an ankle injury suffered against Baltimore.
That removed one final chance to change the conversation on the field. In two preseason appearances, McCarthy completed 9 of 17 passes for 115 yards without a touchdown. His uneven 2025 season also produced 1,632 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions across 10 starts.
McCarthy finished last season with a 67.0 PFN QB Impact grade, ranking fifth-worst among qualifying quarterbacks.
McCarthy missed his entire rookie season after knee surgery, then went 6-4 as Minnesota’s starter in 2025 despite the inconsistency.
Jeremiah is not reporting that the Chargers have called or that Minnesota is shopping McCarthy specifically to Los Angeles. His point is simpler: if the Vikings are seriously considering moving on, a former top-10 pick with a championship history under Harbaugh is worth testing on the trade market before letting him walk for nothing.
