Team in dire need of QB help paves the way for Jaguars to trade CJ Beathard

The Minnesota Vikings took J.J. McCarthy 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft because they think he can be their long-term answer behind center. He may very well be but the Vikes will need to wait until next year to find out because the former Michigan Wolverine is out for the season. They'll rally behind Sam Darnold for now but they'll need to add another quarterback to fill the void left by McCarthy's absence. Coincidentally, the Jacksonville Jaguars have one to spare.

McCarthy underwent meniscus surgery and is out for the year, Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Donnell announced during an exchange with the local media. The quarterback got hurt in Week 1 of the preseason. He sat out practice the day after the game with what was thought to be soreness. However, tests revealed that he tore his meniscus.

With McCarthy out of the picture, Darnold will step in at QB1 for the Vikings. He's been having a solid offseason and could keep the Vikings afloat in 2024. But even if he fares well, they'll need to add another quarterback to back him up. Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall are also in the mix but Minnesota will surely want to keep their options open in case either Darnold suffers an injury or struggles.

A first-round pick in 2018, Darnold was unremarkable in three seasons with the New York Jets. He was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2021 and signed with the San Francisco 49ers last year. The former USC Trojan sat behind Brock Purdy, attempting just 46 passes.

The Vikings endured a similar situation in 2023. They lost Kirk Cousins to injury early in the season and had to rely on a combination of Josh Dobbs, Mullens, and Hall. Cousins signed with the Atlanta Falcons in free agency and Dobbs joined the Niners. It's fair to say that if Minnesota trusted Mules or Hall, they wouldn't have brought in Darnold, which is why they may be looking to add another quarterback to the mix.

The Jaguars can afford to trade CJ Beathard to the Vikings with Mac Jones thriving

The Jaguars have three quarterbacks on the roster. Trevor Lawrence is firmly entrenched as the starter while C.J. Beathard and Mac Jones compete for the No. 2 job. The former has been the team's primary backup the past three seasons but the team's brass wanted to upgrade the position and traded for the latter earlier this year.

So far, Jones has thrived in training camp and fared well in the preseason opener, going 9-of-11 for 98 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Based on talent and draft status, he should have the inside track to win the backup job.

Given that the Jaguars have only carried two quarterbacks the past two seasons under Doug Pederson, it's fair to assume that they'll keep as many in 2024. That would make Beathard a potential trade candidate. The fact that the former Iowa Hawkeye is set to make a manageable base salary of $1.4 million in 2024 makes him an intriguing option.

Sure, Beathard is not the kind of quarterback that will carry the team on his shoulders but he'll hold his own if called upon, which is why the Vikings should give the Jaguars a call about him.

The Jacksonville Jaguars could ultimately decide to stash C.J. Beathard in the practice squad, but they should be open to trading him to a team in need of a quarterback, someone like the Minnesota Vikings, if the opportunity arises.

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