J.J. McCarthy may have , albeit an unlikely one.
Otherwise, it's probably safe to say the Vikings are already writing off even salvaging McCarthy's two remaining years under contract with the team. You don't put CARSON WENTZ above a young quarterback and say you still have confidence in their ability:
Vikings HC Kevin O'Connell announced Carson Wentz will be the No. 2 backup QB on Sunday vs. the Packers and J.J. McCarthy will be QB3.— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter)If there's any consolation for McCarthy, he's still earning roughly $5 million in salary this season. That's a lot better than many third-string quarterbacks, dearest readers, and is a lot of money in any context. I'm sure he'd have loved earning that kind of wealth under better circumstances, but it is a legitimate silver lining for a young player whose franchise is unsubtly and quickly giving up on him.
What is the earliest the Vikings can release J.J. McCarthy?
Technically speaking, the Vikings can move on from McCarthy at any point. It's just a matter of maximizing their salary cap savings from his release. Cutting McCarthy in 2027, as he enters a contract year, would mean Minnesota would only incur a roughly $3 million hit in dead salary cap money. At this point, with this demotion news, that should probably be the expectation for McCarthy's near-future in the NFL.This article originally appeared on For The Win: