It’s time for the Jets to have the J.J. McCarthy conversation

At some point, the football gods will finally smile on the New York Jets and award them a franchise quarterback.

The Minnesota Vikings can certainly relate, though they’ve at least enjoyed the highs of Daunte Culpepper, Brett Favre, and Kirk Cousins.

Doubt continues to grow that J.J. McCarthy will fill that role for the Vikings, especially after Kyler Murray’s arrival this offseason.

Naturally, trade rumors involving McCarthy continue growing ahead of training camp. He has two guaranteed years of team control left, as well as a fifth-year option for 2028.

Welcome to the harsh reality of the NFL, even if you go No. 10 to a team craving quarterback stability. 

Should the New York Jets trade for Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy?

No.

Alright, let’s expand on things.

McCarthy is still only 23, and his rushing skills could absolutely appeal to a team running a modern offense. Imagine McCarthy playing for former Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who now coaches the Browns.

However, there are two things working against McCarthy, the first being the mounting concerns about his durability.

McCarthy missed all of 2024 with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Various injuries, including a sprained ankle, concussion, and a hairline fracture in his throwing hand, limited him to 10 starts.

Few were impressed with McCarthy when he did play, as he completed 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for four touchdowns on 4.9 yards per carry, though his six fumbles are extremely concerning.

McCarthy also turned heads earlier this offseason when he took a seemingly dismissive attitude after being asked about sharing a quarterback room with Murray. 

The Jets, or any other team interested in McCarthy, would be gambling on a dual-threat quarterback who has an injury history and might not respond well to competition. 

At least Jaxson Dart showed enough while healthy, though doctors evaluated him for concussions at least five times last year.

Dart wouldn’t be the one available, though. We’re talking about McCarthy.

McCarthy’s remaining fans might argue that he’s better than the Jets’ potential 2027 options, but is he?

Neither Arch Manning nor Dante Moore is guaranteed to be a star, assuming that they’re available for the Jets next spring. 

It’s too early to know whether the Jets could trade for Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson, and they’d certainly have the draft capital to make a convincing pitch.

And, for all we know, fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik could unexpectedly show enough this season to win the 2027 job.

McCarthy has age working in his favor, but the Jets can do far better. 

Give us the Cade Klubnik Hype Train over whatever “Nine” brings to the table.

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