For much of this offseason, the Minnesota Vikings have projected confidence in JJ McCarthy. Publicly, head coach Kevin O’Connell has said all the right things. Privately, the team has shown its hand. Letting Sam Darnold walk in free agency, avoiding splashy veteran signings, and passing on quarterbacks in early draft visits. “He’s ready to hit the ground running,” O’Connell said recently of McCarthy, who missed his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus. But if that’s true, if the Vikings believe McCarthy is ready to lead, then what are they still doing in the Kirk Cousins conversation?
Kirk Cousins is taking center stage. He signed that fat deal with Atlanta, but let’s be real… things haven’t exactly been sunshine and touchdowns since. The veteran wants the Falcons to trade him, but the team is waiting for the right trade call from the QB-needy team.
That’s where ESPN’s Adam Schefter comes in. Schefter believes that Kevin O’Connell’s Vikings or Mike Tomlin’s Steelers could trade for Cousins, considering the Falcons are demanding $20 million from the $45 million in guaranteed money left on his contract. “There is a feeling around the league that a team, whether it is the Vikings or Steelers, might be willing to pay down roughly $10 million,” Schefter wrote on Monday.
The Vikings are one of two teams @AdamSchefter mentions here in writing about the possibility of a Kirk Cousins trade, which would require his new team to take on at least part of the $45 million in guarantees remaining in his contract. https://t.co/A8IqhPEHM2
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) April 21, 2025
The interesting part? Well, Schefter believes that “How much any team would be willing to pay also would influence the compensation it gives up.” If the Steelers or the Vikings pay a higher amount, then the draft compensation would be lower, and vice versa.
The Falcons knew that keeping Cousins on the roster would make him the highest-paid backup QB in the league. But still, the team restricted his trade because they’re waiting for the right time to trade the veteran QB. Now, here we are. Kevin O’Connell and Co. didn’t sign Rodgers because they wanted JJ McCarthy to be their QB1. The Steelers wanted to sign Rodgers, but the four-time MVP kinda ghosted them.
Fast forward to now, and it looks like both teams have shifted their attention to Kirk Cousins. Sounds like a conspiracy theory, isn’t it? The Falcons and Cousins, who have a no-trade clause, kinda know they’re not sticking it out together. And honestly, whether or not a trade actually happens? That’s probably gonna come down to how the draft shakes out. Meanwhile, Kevin O’Connell just shared the latest updated on the Vikings’ presumed QB1.
Is JJ McCarthy fit to start the 2025 season amidst Kirk Cousins talks?
It seems like ages since we last saw JJ McCarthy in full action. Back in 2023, McCarthy led the Michigan Wolverines to a National Championship where he had 3,193 total yards, 25 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. Fast forward, and the Vikings drafted him with the 10th overall. But even before he could record his first snap in the pros, a preseason torn meniscus sidelined him from his rookie season.
Although Sam Darnold led Minnesota to an impeccable run in the 2024 season, the team still allowed him to enter free agency, where he signed a deal with Seattle. Well, that surely confirms that the Vikings have full confidence in their second-year QB, who is yet to make his NFL debut. However, his knee injury has been a hot topic, considering the former first-round pick is recovering from knee surgery.
Well, the head coach just shed some light on McCarthy’s injury that “I think he’s (McCarthy) ready to hit the ground running as of today.” Well, it’s kind of funny, but also pretty great. Why? Because the HC’s saying McCarthy’s ready to hit the ground running, which honestly sounds like a win, especially if he’s gearing up to kick off his era in Minnesota.
On the flip side, it’s kinda hilarious because the Vikings still haven’t made it clear if McCarthy’s actually their QB1. And to stir the pot even more, rumors are already flying that they might bring back Kirk Cousins—yep, the same guy who’s clearly not signing up to ride the bench. So, yeah, McCarthy might be the guy… but is he the guy? Still a big ol’ question mark.
The post Kevin O’Connell Trades for Kirk Cousins as Vikings HC Issues Major 7-Word Update on Injured QB – Report appeared first on EssentiallySports.
