An Ankle Injury That Sidelines Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy for Multiple Weeks

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Mike Green, below, tackles Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) to force an incompletion during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

The Minnesota Vikings have closed the J.J. McCarthy chapter. On Sept. 28, 2026, Minnesota traded McCarthy to the New York Giants for a 2027 fifth-round pick, pending a physical, according to Vikings.com. The deal ends a five-week slide that began with a right ankle injury against the Baltimore Ravens on Aug. 22. McCarthy missed the preseason finale, made the 53-man roster, and opened the season as an inactive third quarterback. The ankle did not cost him the starting job. Kyler Murray had already won it in training camp, and the Vikings are 3-0, though Murray left the opener early and Wentz started the Week 2 win at Chicago. For a former No. 10 overall pick, a Day 3 return marks a steep fall. Here is how the injury, the depth chart, and the numbers led to New York.

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The Ankle Injury That Ended McCarthy’s Preseason

McCarthy hurt his right ankle in the second preseason game against the Ravens. He missed practice on Aug. 26 and did not play in the Aug. 28 finale at Denver, per Newsweek. “We hoped to get him turned over,” head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters after the loss in Denver, per Newsweek. “We just couldn’t get him there.” Early reports from The Athletic’s Alec Lewis, per NBC Sports, called the injury minor and McCarthy day-to-day. ESPN’s Adam Schefter later called it a multi-week ankle sprain, as reported by Newsweek. The setback fit a familiar pattern. McCarthy tore the meniscus in his right knee in the 2024 preseason opener and missed his rookie year. In 2025, a Week 2 high ankle sprain against Atlanta cost him five games, and a concussion and a hand injury followed. CBS Minnesota counted 24 missed games out of 34 possible in his first two seasons.

Why the Vikings Kept Him on the 53 Before Moving On

Trade and release speculation followed McCarthy through camp, yet Minnesota kept him on the 53-man roster. He opened the season as the inactive emergency third quarterback behind Murray and Carson Wentz, according to NFL.com. The depth chart was settled before the ankle injury. O’Connell named Murray the 2026 starter on Aug. 11, 11 days before the Ravens game. Murray had signed a one-year deal in March after Arizona released him. Murray, the No. 1 pick in 2019, brought seven seasons and 87 starts with the Cardinals. He also owns a 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year award and two Pro Bowls. Wentz settled in as the backup. Keeping McCarthy as QB3 protected Minnesota against another injury wave. The 2025 Vikings started three quarterbacks, per Fox Sports: McCarthy (10), Wentz (5), and Max Brosmer, who made two starts.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up with teammates before an NFL preseason football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

The $21 Million Question: What a Fifth-Round Pick Says About McCarthy’s Value

The Vikings traded up to select McCarthy with the tenth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, per NFL.com. Yardbarker reported his rookie deal at four years and $21,854,796, including a $12,714,396 signing bonus and a fifth-year option for 2028. Roughly two and a half years later, that investment returned a 2027 fifth-rounder. General manager Nolan Teasley said “we think it’s in the best interests of the Minnesota Vikings right now,” per the Chicago Sun-Times. The market price reflects the risk more than the talent. Teams were weighing a quarterback with 10 career starts and a long injury list. The Giants take on the remaining rookie deal and the option decision that comes with it. If McCarthy stays healthy, New York gets a former top-10 pick at a low cost.

From National Champion to NFL Reality: The Numbers Behind the Exit

McCarthy arrived with an elite college resume. He went 27-1 as Michigan’s starter and led the Wolverines to the 2023 national championship. His first NFL start delivered a Monday Night Football comeback win in Week 1 of 2025 that earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week. His 2025 line, per Fox Sports and Vikings.com: 140-of-243 passing (57.6%), 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 72.6 passer rating. He also rushed for 181 yards and four touchdowns. Minnesota went 6-4 in his 10 starts but finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs. A winning record masked a turnover problem, with more interceptions than touchdown passes. The missed games kept him from getting the reps to fix it.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy looks to pass against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

What’s Next After the Trade for the Giants and Vikings

McCarthy lands with a Giants team in need of quarterback depth. ESPN reported that New York lost Jaxson Dart for the regular season to a Week 2 knee injury, leaving Jameis Winston as QB1. Giants head coach John Harbaugh is the brother of Jim Harbaugh, McCarthy’s coach at Michigan. He called McCarthy a “very talented player” who “is going to make us a stronger football team,” per the Chicago Sun-Times. The immediate question is health, since the trade still hinges on a physical. In Minnesota, the path is clear. “Nothing about this changes the way I feel about J.J. or the hopes I have for him,” O’Connell said, per the Chicago Sun-Times. Minnesota opened 3-0 with wins over Green Bay (39-22), Chicago (9-3), and Tampa Bay (23-16). Murray left the opener early in concussion protocol, and Wentz started at Chicago. Heavy has Murray at 18-of-34 for 186 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. His best moment came in the 23-16 win at Tampa Bay, a 41-yard touchdown to Jordan Addison. Next up is the winless Miami Dolphins on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium, with Wentz behind Murray on the depth chart.