The Minnesota Vikings surprised the NFL by drafting J.J. McCarthy with the 10th overall pick last year, and then winning 14 games with Sam Darnold at the helm.
McCarthy is the team’s projected starting quarterback, but an ESPN NFL insider recently proposed that the Vikings pick up a veteran signal-caller in a monster trade.
Vikings Acquire Expensive QB in Proposed Blockbuster Trade
McCarthy put together an impressive college career at Michigan, going 27-1 as a starter and leading the Wolverines to the 2023 national championship. Although his throwing ability was never featured in the team’s run-first offense, McCarthy totaled 5,710 yards, 44 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in his two seasons as the starting quarterback.
Minnesota drafted McCarthy after allowing Kirk Cousins to test free agency following the 2023 season. Cousins spent six years with the Vikings, making the Pro Bowl three times. He threw for over 4,200 yards four times and 30 or more touchdowns three times, but left after a torn Achilles, which limited him to eight games in 2023.
Cousins threw for 2,331 yards, 18 touchdowns, and five interceptions in those eight games, and the Vikings elected to let him walk rather than sign him to an expensive extension.
The Atlanta Falcons gave Cousins a massive four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed, and eventually benched the 13-year veteran late in the 2024 campaign. Meanwhile, McCarthy tore his meniscus in the preseason, and Darnold had a career year.
Kirk Cousins 2023 highlights. A friendly reminder of how far we’ve fallen offensively without him
Kirk and KOC were peak dangerous at point of injury #SKOL #Kirk2024 pic.twitter.com/4q2cMC1VPm
— Vision of Brooks (@sportsillusions) December 18, 2023
ESPN recently released an article with hypothetical trades from several of the outlet’s NFL insiders. Dan Graziano proposed a deal that would reunite Cousins with the Vikings without costing the Vikings too much.
The trade included Minnesota bringing Cousins back for a 2026 fifth-round pick, a 2027 seventh-round pick, and cash considerations. Graziano wrote, “Well, it makes sense for all three sides, really, counting Cousins himself. He wants a chance to start and could use his no-trade clause to nix a deal to any place he doesn’t want to go.”
“But if he has to be a backup, we know he liked living in Minnesota and playing for the Vikings. Plus, J.J. McCarthy is still an unknown after his major knee injury, so maybe this could turn into more than just a QB2 destination. In this scenario, the Vikings would agree to pay $10 million of the guaranteed money on Cousins’ contract for 2025.”
Does Cousins Have Anything Left in the Tank?
Cousins had been a steady producer going back to when he took over as the starter for the Washington Redskins in his foureturning However, coming back from alles at 35 years old is no small feat.
The start to his 2024 campaign was acceptable, but Cousins faded as the season went on, including a five-game stretch during which he threw nine interceptions for just one touchdown. The Falcons benched Cousins for the then-rookie, ending the veteran’s chances of starting again in Atlanta.
Turning it up.#Skol pic.twitter.com/ulr44DB8w0
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) June 4, 2025
Last season, Cousins earned a PFSN QB+ grade of 71.2. This metric molds stats that include success rates when pressured, third-down conversion rate, and pocket production. The added wrinkle in this is quantifying clutch.
PFSN Analyst Ben Rolfe said, “The Falcons decided to bench Cousins entering Week 16 after he ranked 28th in the league over the preceding four weeks. Cousins struggled when operating under pressure and in clutch spots all season, with a -0.44 EPA/DB when pressured (26th). His nYPA of 7.3 ranked ninth, but he was also 11th in YAC/Cp at 5.6.
“Cousins’ clean-pocket numbers are solid (0.28 EPA/DB; 14th), but he converted just 34.1% of his third-down opportunities this season (ranked 28th).”
Despite the team’s confidence, McCarthy is unproven in the NFL. Bringing back Cousins in a relatively cheap trade could shake McCarthy’s confidence heading into the season, but it would also give the Vikings a safety net in case the 2024 first-round pick flops.
This would be a blockbuster deal, but it could be a moot point after the Vikings’ X account tweeted a video of McCarthy looking good during OTA practices.