We’re still months away from J.J. McCarthy taking his first real snaps as an NFL quarterback, but the bold 2025 predictions continue to trickle in.
The latest comes from Bleacher Report national writer Brad Gagnon, who offered up some early bold predictions for this year’s trade deadline. Surprisingly, McCarthy and the Minnesota Vikings were caught in the crossfire.
Could Baker Mayfield be on the move if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggle to start the 2025 season? Gagnon can see it happening, and he sees teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Vikings being interested if problems arise in their respective QB rooms.
“We won't speculate on injuries, but the Steelers and Vikings both come to mind in the event that either the Aaron Rodgers experiment blows up quickly or J.J. McCarthy gets off to a horrible start in Minnesota,” Gagnon wrote of a potential trade for a veteran like Mayfield. “We’ll lean toward the Vikes having a longer leash with their young quarterback, because who knows what will happen with the 41-year-old Rodgers.”
Again, this was a bold prediction piece. Mayfield is entering year two of the $100 million contract he signed with the Bucs in 2024, and he just led his squad to the NFC playoffs. There doesn't appear to be any trouble in paradise here, which is why this conversation should be treated purely as conjecture.
The more valid question here is: Would the Vikings shop for a veteran quarterback again if McCarthy struggles in the first half of the 2025 season?
The answer should be pretty obvious. Minnesota won’t be shopping for a 2025 replacement unless McCarthy suffers another early, season-ending injury.
The Vikings won’t have any kind of "leash" on McCarthy this season. They’re all-in on their young QB, evidenced by their decision to add zero competition for him this offseason. If Minnesota wanted to keep McCarthy in check, they would have paid for Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones. They could have had more serious conversations about Aaron Rodgers or Joe Flacco. They could have been in on veteran backups with upside like Gardner Minshew or Cooper Rush.
Instead, they waited until Day 3 of the NFL Draft to acquire Sam Howell for pennies on the dollar. Coach Kevin O’Connell may be waiting to officially name his starting quarterback for Week 1, but when your depth chart includes Howell, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer and fringe practice squander Brett Rypien, there’s no need to make any big public announcement. McCarthy is the guy, and Minnesota will sink our swim with the former Michigan Wolverines star steering the ship this season.
Now, would the Vikings consider a trade deadline acquisition in the worst-case scenario that McCathy suffers another injury? That would depend on the timing and circumstances. Anything’s possible in the NFL, but the feeling here is that the Vikings’ season would be over if Howell, Mayfield or any other player not named McCarthy is forced to start games in 2025.
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