The speculation about the Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback future, and the routes they could take, are at an all-time high as free agency is about to begin along with the new league year.
Many names have been tied to the Raiders in the past few weeks — Russell Wilson, Sam Darnold, Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford (he will be staying with the Los Angeles Rams), Kirk Cousins, and others.
But a name circulating in the wake of Darnold’s negotiations with the Minnesota Vikings is that of 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy, who was highly-touted as a draft prospect and blue-chipper out of Michigan.
McCarthy tore his meniscus in his first preseason game with the Vikings in 2024 and it opened the door for Darnold to take the reins with no pressure. Las Vegas Raiders On SI beat writer Hondo Carpenter believes that while McCarthy is not available for a trade, a long-term deal with Darnold could move the needle toward the sophomore quarterback’s availability.
Carpenter said on the latest episode of his podcast that if the Raiders feel they are a quarterback away under coach Pete Carroll, the Silver and Black could pull the trigger.
“You have to realize, man, there’s a lot of talent here,” said Carpenter. “We had a bunch of guys injured that are going to hopefully be back, hopefully meaning their terms. And if we go get a quarterback, we’re instantly competitive. And J.J. certainly, I think until we know what the Vikings are going to do with Sam Darnold, which we don’t know, until we some feeling with what the organization says, you don’t know. … If I’m J.J. McCarthy’s people, and I’m hearing that they aren’t going to franchise [Darnold], they’re going to work out a franchise deal, I’m going to sit back and watch. … I’m going to sit back and let it come to me.”
On a previous episode, Carpenter said, “I was asked recently who you would like to see them [Raiders] trade for, and I said J.J. McCarthy. A couple of weeks ago, I told you that people close to [Sam Darnold] had told me that he would be willing to take less money to get a deal to stay in Minnesota. He likes it there; he respects the coaches, respects the organization. And I was also the one to tell you that they were not going to franchise tag him.”
“A lot of people, believe myself included, around the NFL, that the Vikings made it clear they were not going to franchise Sam and that there is a lot of smoke that the Vikings and Sam Darnold are working on an extended deal, which would be two or more years.”
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