Overview
- The offseason focus is shifting to whether J.J. McCarthy should remain the primary starter in 2026 after an uneven year and multiple injuries.
- McCarthy recently sustained a hairline fracture in his throwing hand and has logged three major injuries in 2025 after missing all of 2024 with a preseason knee injury.
- CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones identified Minnesota as a potential suitor if a Joe Burrow trade market emerges, though his $275 million deal through 2029 and an expected multi–first-round price make any move speculative and costly.
- Newsweek highlighted Lamar Jackson as a theoretical trade option due to contract mechanics cited by ESPN, including a 2026 cap charge projected at $74.5 million and a no-trade clause that would complicate any deal.
- Coverage notes a roughly $36 million cap deficit and past Vikings tendencies under Kwesi Adofo‑Mensah, pointing toward lower-cost insurance via veterans or modest trades rather than an all-in blockbuster.