J.J. McCarthy to Miami? Why the Dolphins Should Consider a Trade
It’s no secret the Miami Dolphins have the most questionable quarterback depth chart in the NFL.
The Dolphins are entering the season with Malik Willis as their starting quarterback, a journeyman who has started just six games in his NFL career. The funny thing is, Willis may be the lone bright spot when it comes to the quarterback position. In his one drive in the preseason, the 27-year-old led a successful touchdown drive.
In all of the drives that have ensued since in losses to the Washington Commanders and New York Giants, the Dolphins’ offense has been the definition of dreadful. That is in large part due to the incompetence of the quarterbacks behind Willis, led by second-year QB Quinn Ewers and inexperienced passers such as Cam Miller and Mark Gronowski.
It’s all the more reason why the Dolphins should acquire a veteran quarterback, and it may come from an unexpected place and player in the Minnesota Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy.
It has become abundantly clear how much the third-year passer has soured in Minnesota, with head coach Kevin O’Connell deciding before the season even started that Kyler Murray — who is in his first season in Minnesota — will be the starting quarterback.
Unlike every other quarterback competition in the NFL where the coaches allow the players to at least compete in the preseason before announcing a starter, O’Connell had seen enough that he decided to go with Murray before their first preseason game.
McCarthy has had a rough preseason so far, with veteran passer Carson Wentz outplaying him for the backup position. The 23-year-old McCarthy went just 5-of-10 for 81 yards and a 77.5 passer rating while leading the Vikings to just three points in four offensive drives before his day was cut short due to an injury.
“We want to keep giving those guys opportunities,” said O’Connell after the game with McCarthy and Wentz.
He had a bright spot with a 50-yard completion to Tai Felton, but he also had a lowlight when he misfired on a wide-open Myles Price in the end zone on fourth-and-1. These are problems that plagued McCarthy during his first season as a starter last year, often overthrowing receivers and generally being inaccurate.
“Just throws I’ve got to make. We called great plays, but at the end of the day I know I can make those throws,” McCarthy said. “It’s great to have that experience logged in and that data logged in to be able to make that throw next time.”
What may be one team’s misfortune can be another team’s gain. It’s clear that McCarthy needs a fresh start as it has become clear that the Vikings organization and its fans have quickly soured on him.
His trade value couldn’t be any lower at this point. It’s unclear if the Vikings are willing to part with McCarthy before the season starts, but with a proven veteran in Wentz along with Max Brosmer — who appeared in seven games and made two starts last season — it may benefit Minnesota to trade him while they still can.
A quarterback-needy team such as the Dolphins makes sense, where McCarthy would have no expectations and be in no rush to start and win games. In Minnesota, he’ll always have that cloud hanging over him, especially in the aftermath of Sam Darnold — his predecessor — winning a Super Bowl in his first season with the Seattle Seahawks after leaving Minnesota.
The Dolphins have combined for just three total points when led by their quarterbacks not named Willis. It was punctuated by a disastrous effort against the Giants in which the offense totaled just 102 yards with Miller and Gronowski leading the way. The offensive unit averaged just 2.8 yards per play.
That means since Willis went to the bench after his first preseason drive — a 93-yard drive — the Dolphins have combined for just three total points and 235 total yards in 19 drives. Of those 19 drives, the Dolphins have turned the ball over four times.
Jeff Hafley and the Dolphins need to stop being stubborn and make a move for a quarterback who is at least competent and has experience running an offense. For all of McCarthy’s faults and limitations, he still started 10 games last season and went 6-4. Furthermore, he did show slight improvements in winning his final four starts of the season.
The Dolphins could conceivably acquire McCarthy for no more than a fourth-round pick. Especially if the Vikings go into the season and Murray quickly starts living up to his potential as a Pro Bowl quarterback. That will mean the Vikings can move off of McCarthy since there would be little point in keeping him around.
McCarthy is still on his rookie deal with just one year after this season. The Dolphins could acquire a potential gem in McCarthy with fresh scenery surrounding him if Willis doesn’t pan out. It literally cannot hurt to acquire McCarthy, and they need some veteran insurance given the inadequacy of Ewers, Miller, and Gronkowski. And fans still need to remember that he’s a first-round draft pick who lost just one game during his college career while winning the national championship.
There will be plenty of options at quarterback following 53-man roster cutdowns, but McCarthy may be the most intriguing one that could be had at a low price.