The NFL's worst-kept secret has finally been made official.
On Tuesday, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell officially named veteran Kyler Murray the starting quarterback for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season, beating out former 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.
While a torn meniscus ended his rookie campaign before it even began, that was followed by a rocky 2025 season filled with injuries. The quarterback sometimes known as Nine now finds himself holding a clipboard behind the team’s offseason addition, 29-year-old Murray. The former Arizona Cardinals signal-caller inked a one-year, veteran-minimum deal.
The Vikings’ decision on the quarterback competition and how early it came have fueled plenty of questions. Specifically, what is the endgame here? Are the Vikings completely abandoning their 23-year-old investment? If McCarthy and/or the Vikings feel it’s best for a fresh start, quarterback-needy front offices could understandably be dialing the phone.
Harbaugh Reunion in Hollywood?
Who’s on board for the ultimate college reunion in Los Angeles? When thinking of coaches who would immediately talk themselves into rescuing J.J. McCarthy, Jim Harbaugh has to be considered at the top of the list. Harbaugh was his biggest advocate during the pre-draft process, famously championing McCarthy as a generational talent while they were hoisting a National Championship trophy at Michigan.
Obviously, McCarthy would still be holding a clipboard with the Los Angeles Chargers, considering Justin Herbert is their undisputed franchise quarterback. However, the Chargers currently have Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei behind Herbert on the depth chart, and there’s a fair argument to be made that McCarthy would at least be an upgrade there, especially with his knowledge of how Harbaugh runs the show.
The cost of acquiring McCarthy likely wouldn’t be all that high, and if Harbaught sees it as a move that makes sense to bolster the quarterback room, then why not?
A Familiar Defensive Mind or a Tampa Bay Flyer?
If the Chargers pass, the Baltimore Ravens are emerging as a fascinating sleeper destination. Baltimore’s new head coach, Jesse Minter, is another name who checks in as a Michigan connection. Minter was the defensive coordinator at Michigan during McCarthy’s tenure.
In a similar fashion to Herbert, the Ravens obviously have a clear-cut starter in Lamar Jackson, but his contract situation also becomes a talking point beyond 2027. That’s not to say that McCarthy would immediately become the replacement for Jackson if the two sides can’t work out a deal, but it couldn’t hurt for him to sit behind the star quarterback and be with a familiar face in Minter.
McCarthy isn’t bound to land playing time immediately, virtually anywhere he goes, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could make for a unique storyline. The Baker Mayfield contract situation is becoming a huge deal, with Mayfield even admitting to feeling disrespected during contract negotiations. The Bucs’ offensive staff has a proven, highly successful track record of salvaging discarded top picks (see: Mayfield, Baker). Taking a shot on McCarthy isn’t a bad idea, even if there’s a possibility that things with Mayfield somehow do fall apart before the sides agree to an extension.
McCarthy only has 10 messy NFL starts on his resume, but pedigree and raw talent like his rarely sit in the bargain bin for long. General managers love a good comeback story and a project player who has already flashed upside, so it’s only a matter of time before someone attempts to make a move for him.
Even with the change at quarterback for Minnesota, the Vikings aren’t getting much love as a Super Bowl contender. In terms of the latest Fanatics odds, the Vikings are part of a second-tier group that drops off from the +2500 to +3000 range and sit at +4500, just ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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