The Minnesota Vikings have a big decision to make.
Quarterback Sam Darnold has played his way into a lucrative contract and is going to demand a steep pay raise in the offseason.
Even if he doesn’t fare well in their playoff contest against the Los Angeles Rams, the early returns of his partnership with head coach Kevin O’Connell and wide receiver Justin Jefferson have been too encouraging to overlook.
As such, that means that J.J. McCarthy could be the odd man out.
The first-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft sustained a season-ending injury before his rookie campaign, and if Darnold stays in Minnesota, the Vikings could look to find McCarthy a new home.
Recent betting odds show the favorite to make a deal for McCarthy.
“The New York Giants are currently the favorites to trade for Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy, per Bovada,” MFootball wrote on X.
?NEWS: The New York #Giants are currently the FAVORITES to trade for #Vikings QB JJ McCarthy, per @BovadaOfficial.
McCarthy was a first-round pick last year after winning the national championship at Michigan.
Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll desperately need a quarterback… pic.twitter.com/y9n8vqwicX
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 10, 2025
The Giants have the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and if quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are gone by then, it could make sense for New York to ship that selection to the Vikings to add a QB.
The Giants might even look to grab McCarthy before the draft, as he might have a higher ceiling than both Sanders and Ward.
More than that, Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll reportedly spent a lot of time with the Michigan product in his pre-draft process.
McCarthy even admitted that he thought he would end up in New York after so many interviews.
It might take longer than initially expected, but that could end up being the case after all.
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