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10h ago

Vikings Name Carson Wentz QB2 and Move J.J. McCarthy to Third String

Coach Kevin O’Connell called the decision a week-to-week choice that reflects on-field evaluation and roster economics tied to roughly $4.85 million in remaining guarantees that limited Minnesota’s ability to cut or renegotiate McCarthy immediately.

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Aug 22, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) looks to throw a pass against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
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Overview

  • On Wednesday, Sept. 9, O’Connell confirmed Kyler Murray will start Week 1, Carson Wentz will be the official backup, and J.J. McCarthy was designated the No. 3 quarterback.
  • The demotion follows McCarthy’s uneven 2025 showing (10 starts, 1,632 yards, 11 TDs, 12 INTs) and a training-camp battle that Murray won in August.
  • Tom Pelissero and multiple outlets reported the Vikings kept McCarthy on the 53-man roster in part because CBA rules and about $4.85 million in guarantees made cutting or facilitating a trade more costly and complicated.
  • O’Connell framed the depth chart as fluid and said McCarthy will keep getting work and can regain the backup role, but league coverage and analysts continue to list him as a likely trade candidate before the Nov. 10 deadline.
  • The change reshapes Minnesota’s short-term push to win with a veteran safety net while preserving a young asset’s development, leaving the team to weigh on-field progress, injury risk, and limited trade market value in the weeks ahead.