Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy will compete with Kyler Murray for the starting job in 2026. Still, despite all of this, David Marshall, the host of David Talks Broncos and David Talks Buffs, believes the Denver Broncos should add McCarthy to their roster as a backup quarterback if Minnesota ends up deciding he’s not a quarterback they want to continue investing in. Now it’s time to evaluate why McCarthy could add value to Denver’s quarterback room as a backup.
Is J.J. McCarthy the Answer for the Broncos at Backup Quarterback?
The Broncos Can Help McCarthy Polish His Skills as a Quarterback
McCarthy finished his career strong at Michigan, but has had a pretty rocky road since joining the NFL, not only because he suffered a season-ending injury in his rookie season, which made it difficult for him to develop as he was supposed to.
“[McCarthy] was kind of a disaster last year after his time at Michigan,” Marshall said. “You could see here at Michigan, National Champion, he’s got all the traits and tools you’re looking for, and you saw here during his time in the NFL, he tore his ACL in 2024 so he didn’t get a lot of time to actually improve his game.”
Marshall believes that McCarthy would fit well in Denver not only because he played under Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, but also because he thinks McCarthy would be more than capable of thriving in the Broncos’ offense with David Webb, and Sean Payton would continue to get better.
“[McCarthy] played in a pro-style offense under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and I think he’s got the brains to operate this offense with Sean Payton [and] Davis Webb,” Marshall said. “[McCarthy] needs to fine-tune his mechanics, his footwork, and that’s where the Broncos do some of their best work.”
If McCarthy does come to Denver, he wouldn’t be the Broncos’ number-one option, but he could be a reliable backup quarterback for years to come.
“I think J.J. McCarthy in terms of not looking at him as a franchise quarterback because we’ve got that in Bo Nix, but as that franchise backup,” Marshall said. “That next guy that can be here for a few years.”
McCarthy Is an Affordable Option for the Broncos
It’s unlikely that McCarthy will be traded or cut by Minnesota, but even if either of those things happens, Denver wouldn’t have to spend a lot of money on him. Marshall also mentions that the Broncos could initially look to add him to the team as a member of the practice squad if he ends up being cut.
“We want an affordable backup that will not count for very much against the cap; you got J.J. McCarthy,” Marshall said. “He’s one guy that if he is cut from the Vikings, I think you need to keep an eye out for the Broncos looking to bring him in probably at first with the practice squad.”
McCarthy Played in More Games Last Season Compared to How Often Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger Have Played Over the Span of Their Careers
Similar to the Broncos’ current backup quarterbacks, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger, McCarthy doesn’t have much experience starting in the NFL but played 10 games last season, which neither of Denver’s quarterbacks besides Nix has done in their careers.
The fact that McCarthy has already played more than half of a season is a major advantage, and he also threw for 1,632 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, which is more passing yards and touchdowns than Stidham and Ehlinger have had in their careers as NFL quarterbacks.
Denver is also a more well-rounded team than Minnesota, and he would be more than prepared to take on the responsibilities of starting if Nix got injured again, especially given how he was able to do so for the Vikings when quarterback Sam Darnold signed with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency.
There’s still a lot McCarthy needs to work on, but being on the Broncos roster would be great for his career. Whether he plays a lot or not at all, he would have more time to slow down and learn to evolve into an elite NFL quarterback, especially with how Denver’s offense is composed of many talented players and coaches.
Main Image: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
