Did J.J. McCarthy make the Vikings? Latest updates as roster cuts loom

J.J. McCarthy entered Minnesota Vikings training camp battling Kyler Murray for the team's starting quarterback job.

McCarthy was not able to beat out Murray in that competition, which was decided before Week 1 of the preseason. Now, there are questions about whether the 23-year-old signal-caller will even make Minnesota's final roster.

McCarthy wasn't able to play in the Vikings' final preseason game because of an ankle injury. His performance across the preseason have led many to conclude that 33-year-old veteran Carson Wentz may get the nod as Minnesota's backup quarterback over McCarthy.

Even in that scenario, the Vikings could hold onto McCarthy as a third-string quarterback. But such a decision will depend on whether Minnesota wants to keep him or simply let the 2024 first-round pick seek out a fresh start after a rocky tenure to date with the Vikings.

Will McCarthy be cut or traded? Here's what to know about his status as the NFL's 53-man roster deadline approaches.

Did J.J. McCarthy get cut or traded? Latest Vikings roster updates

McCarthy currently remains a member of the Vikings. Minnesota has not yet provided any information about the players it will be releasing to make their roster compliant ahead of the 53-man roster deadline at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 30.

That said, The Athletic's Alec Lewis left McCarthy off his final, 53-man roster projection for the Vikings, noting the decision was related to McCarthy presumably losing the backup quarterback job behind Murray to Wentz.

"McCarthy’s comfort (or lack thereof) with being QB3 could dictate his future in Minnesota," Lewis wrote.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell did not address the Vikings' plans for McCarthy following the preseason finale against the Broncos, so the 23-year-old's future with the organization remains unclear. O'Connell did mention that keeping four quarterbacks on the roster is a possibility.

"I don’t think it is out of the question that we try to keep all of those guys, but at the same time, we got to do what’s best for our team," O'Connell told reporters after the game. "So we’ll work through that and that will definitely be part of the conversation because there was a reason why we wanted to have a deep quarterback room, and all four of those guys had their moments throughout the last month and six weeks or so, and that’ll definitely be a part of the evaluation as we go throughout each position – making sure that our 53 and the practice squad are exactly what we want them to look like."

J.J. McCarthy preseason stats

McCarthy endured a difficult preseason in 2026. He completed just 9 of 17 passes (52.9%) for 115 yards while being sacked twice playing seven drives across two games.

Of McCarthy's seven preseason possessions, six ended in punts. The other ended with a turnover on downs on the 1-yard line.

Vikings QB depth chart

McCarthy is listed as the backup quarterback on Minnesota's unofficial quarterback depth chart, but all indications are that Wentz beat him for that role during the 2026 preseason.

Below is a look at the projected pecking order within the Vikings' quarterback room:

1. Kyler Murray
2. Carson Wentz
3. J.J. McCarthy
4. Max Brosmer

The Vikings kept three quarterbacks to open the 2025 NFL season – McCarthy, Wentz and Brosmer. Minnesota could take a similar approach in 2026, though the Vikings could also roll with just Murray and Wentz with Brosmer on the practice squad should they move on from McCarthy.

J.J. McCarthy landing spots

McCarthy would presumably draw interest on the open market if the Vikings decide to give him a fresh start. Here's a look at some of his top potential landing spots.

Los Angeles Chargers

Jim Harbaugh has been lukewarm in his assessment of backup quarterbacks Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei during the 2026 preseason. The 62-year-old coached McCarthy to a national championship during their time together in Michigan and could relish a chance to get the young signal-caller back on track behind Justin Herbert.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins should be looking to add talent to their roster in any way possible. Miami is giving Malik Willis a chance to prove himself in a starting role, but adding McCarthy as a fallback option would be a nice buy-low move. McCarthy could replace Quinn Ewers, who was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars on eve of the 53-man roster deadline, as the Dolphins' backup and get a test run if Willis can't succeed as a full-time starter.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns have plenty of youth at quarterback in Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green, so perhaps adding McCarthy to fight for playing time behind Deshaun Watson would be a bit redundant. Still, the Browns don't have a proven, high-level quarterback, so taking a gamble on McCarthy's upside as a former first-round pick could be worthwhile for Todd Monken.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons' competition between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa never quite got off the ground, as the former spent most of the offseason recovering from a torn ACL. Tagovailoa wasn't very impressive in the preseason, so Atlanta could consider targeting McCarthy to add more youth and potential to the ongoing quarterback battle.

Detroit Lions

Lions backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater retired on eve of the 2026 NFL season. They replaced him with Joshua Dobbs, but adding some youth behind Jared Goff (31) could be a good long-term investment for the Lions. McCarthy may relish a chance to return to Michigan and hone his skills in Dan Campbell's quarterback-friendly offensive system.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Did J.J. McCarthy make the Vikings? Latest updates as roster cuts loom