Giants Might Acquire QB J.J. McCarthy from Vikings through Draft Trade

It is evident that the Minnesota Vikings are keen on trading up for a quarterback in the upcoming NFL draft, however, there exist teams capable of obstructing their course.

The New York Giants picking at number 6 and the Washington Commanders holding rights to the second overall pick are both organizations in consideration. The player or players that Minnesota is specifically eyeing remains unknown, but due to their current draft position of number 11 and potential trade opportunities, it’s likely that former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy could be a top choice for the Vikings.

According to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, McCarthy was recently in talks with the Giants and it’s been reported that he will also be meeting with the Commanders later this week.

According to reports from BleacherReport, Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy met with the Giants last week and was treated to dinner by their front office while touring their facility. Additionally, the Commanders are reportedly heading out to Ann Arbor on Thursday night for a pre-Pro Day dinner gathering with McCarthy based on information obtained from multiple sources.

The Vikings could have interesting opportunities due to the interest of commanders in J.J. McCarthy.

There are multiple reasons why the Commanders’ meeting with McCarthy is not as concerning compared to the Giants showing interest.

It is highly likely that Washington will select a quarterback with their No. 2 pick because they have made moves like trading starter Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks, letting Jacoby Brissett go for a bridge starting opportunity with the New England Patriots in 2024 and signing Marcus Mariota as probable backup to support any rookie QB next year.

Therefore, if the Commanders opt to select McCarthy as their second pick, they will push either Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye out of the top three. This would leave Minnesota with a chance to acquire one of these players by trading up into the top five for a quarterback.

It’s possible that Daniels, Maye or both have a higher spot on the Vikings’ draft list compared to McCarthy. Despite being equally strong prospects, if Minnesota chooses one of them over McCarthy it might not be considered as a significant loss; in fact, it could be an upgrade for the team.

If the Giants were to trade up with the Cardinals and draft a quarterback, it could mean that the Vikings would be unsuccessful in their NFL Draft.

The Giants are slated to pick at number six, whereas the Vikings have secured the 11th spot. In preparation for this year’s draft, Minnesota has obtained Houston Texans’ twenty-third selection through a deal. Many experts believe that the Vikings will bundle their two picks (eleventh and twenty-third) along with a potential first-rounder in order to move up in position. The Los Angeles Chargers seem like an ideal trade partner as they hold the fifth overall pick while there is also speculation about Arizona Cardinals being willing to make such a transaction from fourth place onwards.

The Cardinals are urgently seeking a wide receiver and could select Marvin Harrison Jr. at fourth pick, who exhibits qualities of being an exceptional talent for the future. Although trading down seven spots with the Vikings may not be attractive to them, they might consider exchanging two spots back with the Giants for substantial benefit in forthcoming drafts.

If the Giants were to move into the fourth spot, it would not only eliminate McCarthy as an option for the Vikings but also leave them without a shot at any of their top four QB prospects.

If the aforementioned development were to occur, it would negatively impact the Vikings’ recent trade with the Texans which secured a second first-round pick in this year’s draft. Minnesota would then be faced with an arduous decision of either relinquishing significant value in order to move up and snag a player like Bo Nix, who may not warrant such investment based on their perceived worth, or foregoing any prospects of acquiring a quarterback within the initial round entirely.