Vikings make shocking trade in unique 2026 NFL Mock Draft

The Minnesota Vikings appear poised to start over at quarterback in 2026. Not only did they sign Kyler Murray, but they brought back Carson Wentz as well to battle for the backup spot. That doesn't necessarily mean that J.J. McCarthy's future with the Vikings is over. He is still only 23 years old, and it could benefit him to watch Murray handle the starting job in 2026.

But could the Vikings decide to move on from McCarthy and give the 10th pick from the 2024 draft a fresh start? ESPN's Bill Barnwell believes so.

In a mock draft that includes trades for every team, he has the Los Angeles Rams trading out of the 13th overall slot with the Vikings. In return, Minnesota would send L.A. picks 18 and 97 (third round) and McCarthy, whom Barnwell equates to the 112th overall pick.

In addition to the issues McCarthy had as a pure passer during the 2025 season, he missed all of 2024 with a knee injury and was sidelined by multiple injuries in 2025. It might be tough to count on him making it through a full 17-game season, let alone playing well in the process.

At the right price, though, taking a flier on McCarthy would make sense. The Vikings are unlikely to move forward with the 2024 ninth overall pick as their quarterback of the future, having signed Kyler Murray to take over as their starter in 2026 before deciding on McCarthy's fifth-year option after the season. Getting something for the 23-year-old quarterback would make sense if the organization has decided it is going to be heading in a different direction. This move up would get the Vikes ahead of the Bucs and Jets if they want to look toward secondary help in Round 1.

Moving on from McCarthy in exchange for a fourth-round pick may feel like the right price after the past two seasons, but is that worth moving on from? Trading him to the Rams feels like an invitation for further criticism, giving McVay a chance to turn McCarthy's career around.

But is there a real incentive to move up for a defensive player in this draft? This class is weaker across the board, and outside of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, it doesn't feel necessary for the Vikings to move up substantially for anyone, especially when there will be plenty of secondary help available at pick 18.

I would prefer to pass on this scenario and stash McCarthy. We already saw Minnesota use three quarterbacks in 2025 and four back in 2023, so McCarthy's services could be required eventually, even if he is buried on the depth chart.

That would also allow the Vikings to keep pick 97, a spot where they could potentially draft a starting center. The potential there outweighs the need to move on from McCarthy.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFL Mock Draft: Vikings trade away J.J. McCarthy in new projection