Bill Simmons Suggests Wild Vikings Trade Scenario to Sort Out QB Room

The Minnesota Vikings have three former first-round quarterbacks on their roster but could that lead to a trade?

There is a saying in the NFL that if a team has two quarterbacks it could consider for the starting job, it has none. Only one of the Vikings’ QBs – Sam Darnold – has played for the team this season.

However, the presence of all three of him, J.J. McCarthy, and Daniel Jones keeps up the intrigue.

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons offered an outside-the-box solution to the potential QB quandary: trade McCarthy.

“Darnold … really has energy with [Justin] Jefferson and [Jordan] Addison,” Simmons said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” on December 8. “He has almost 3,300 yards – Darnold – 28 touchdowns, and 10 picks, and if they are in round one [of the playoffs], he’ll probably be like a four-plus-point favorite. He’s on a one-year deal. They have J.J. McCarthy, I’d be really hesitant not to bring him [Darnold] back.

“Today was the first day where I was like, ‘Wow, they might have actually found their QB, and maybe they should think about trading J.J. McCarthy.’”

It’s becoming clear in league circles that Sam Darnold will command a high price this offseason and could be out of the #Vikings’ budget.

Here’s what could happen at quarterback next season for Kevin O'Connell and Co., via @TheHerd with @colincowherd: pic.twitter.com/zdCzYngTlA

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) December 7, 2024

“If I’m the Vikings, I don’t know. I’d have to really think about this one. He’s only 27. It’s not like he’s Kirk Cousins. He’s not 37 [years old], heading into his late 30s. He’s entering the prime of his career, and he’s playing great,” Simmons said. “And he has real chemistry with the receivers.

“When you have two weapons like that, you want a guy who’s not afraid to wing it downfield, and … if he makes a mistake, he’s going to come back. I think that’s been the thing that’s been the most impressive with him.”

Darnold shook off his turnover woes of Weeks 9 and 10 when he threw 5 interceptions.

He threw 11 touchdowns with 0 interceptions from Weeks 11 through 14. The trade-off has been more sacks per game.

Darnold went from taking 26 over the first nine weeks (or 2.9 per game) to 14 in the last four games (3.5 per). Still, that is better than a turnover, putting one of the league’s best defenses in a more advantageous situation.

J.J. McCarthy Trade Might Not Be Outlandish for Vikings

Darnold’s future in Minnesota is one thing. Potentially trading McCarthy is another. The Vikings traded up in the 2024 draft to select McCarthy, and head coach Kevin O’Connell has deemed him the “right guy” for the future.

However, after missing his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus, there is no guarantee the Vikings see the same level of success if they switch QBs let alone trade McCarthy.

Skor North’s Phil Mackey explored a scenario where Darnold stays and McCarthy goes.

“Let’s say you get to the NFC Championship Game, and you just lose a shootout to the Lions. … Could you make a case to say, ‘Okay, while McCarthy was the plan all along, and McCarthy we have full faith in, it’s unlikely that – [with] him stepping in first year in 2025 – that we’re going to get back this far. We’re probably going to have to just like settle in for a year and then open up a long-term window. Let’s forget about that. Let’s lock in Sam, big signing bonus,” Mackey asked on “Minnesota Sports with Mackey & Judd” on December 10.

“You could even do void years and shove a lot of the accounting into 2027, 28, so that you open up a 2025-26 window with Sam Darnold, and you still maintain some ability to sign free agents and your first-round pick for 2025-26. And then you probably have to confront trading J.J. McCarthy.”

Mackey asked co-hosts Judd Zulgad and Darren Wolfson if that was a plausible idea. Wolfson said the Vikings would at least have to entertain the idea in Mackey’s specific scenario. But Zulgad did not foresee the Vikings giving Darnold a long-term contract.

Zulgad also pointed out O’Connell’s affinity for McCarthy and the head coach’s role in such a decision as underappreciated factors in a potential trade of the rookie.

Mackey questioned whether Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had the final say.

Bill Simmons Floats Sam Darnold as QB for Potential No. 1 Pick

Darnold’s market figures to be healthy. Even if the Vikings are interested in bringing him back, and would entertain a McCarty trade, several other teams face more dire QB situations.

“Six teams need a quarterback next year: Vegas, the Giants, Titans, Saints, maybe the Seahawks if they can’t agree to a deal with Geno [Smith], and maybe the Niners if they can’t figure out a Brock Purdy extension,” Simmons said. “I was looking at those teams and it’s like, if you’re Vegas – and you could get Sam Darnold, and you draft Travis Hunter, and you have the money to spend – I’m probably doing that.

“The Niners really liked him. The Vikings seem like they love him.”

Simmons equated the situation to the 2017 season when Case Keenum led the Vikings to an 11-3 record in the regular season. Moreover, Keenum led them to an NFC Championship Game berth.

Darnold is the difference. He was the No. 3 overall pick in 2017. Keenum was undrafted in 2012.

“It’s tough with these late-bloomer, reclamation guys because that Case Keenum year, we were doing pods, and it was legitimate,” Simmons said. “He was moving the ball and making plays. But physically, he wasn’t a big guy. He didn’t have a cannon arm, and there was – you knew there was some smoke and mirrors in it as it was happening.

“They were winning with him, so you couldn’t say much. Darnold kind of checks all the boxes for – I don’t think he would be a top-seven quarterback. But he has the size, he has the arm, he has the confidence, [and] he can move around.”

Lost in Simmons and Skor North’s discussions was Jones, adding more intrigue to the Vikings QB situation. Still, that is a far cry from a McCarthy trade.