From wide receivers to offensive tackles and beyond, the Cleveland Browns have multiple positions to consider this offseason. As if that wasn’t enough, there are still many questions about who will be their starting quarterback next season.
Right now, it feels like Shedeur Sanders has a leg up on the competition, but a lot can change in a short amount of time, especially since the Browns won’t formally commit to him for the long-term future. This is creating a ton of speculation about who could come to Cleveland and take over the role of QB1.
Speaking on ESPN Cleveland, Aaron Goldhammer questioned why the Browns haven’t thought about J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
“Any interest in J.J. McCarthy? What’s going on there? He hasn’t played very much. To just totally write a guy off, they took him in the top-10 after like seven starts. Whose future do you feel better about? Him or Shedeur’s?” Goldhammer said.
"Any interest in JJ McCarthy? What's going on there?," – @HammerNation19.
Should the Browns show any interest in the former 1st round pick QB? pic.twitter.com/QpOwvxva0z
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) March 12, 2026
McCarthy’s first season in the NFL didn’t go as planned. He ranked toward the bottom of the league in passer rating, completions, and success rate. Then injuries got in his way and prohibited him from playing in more than 10 games.
Now his situation in Minnesota is even more complicated, because the team is allegedly considering Kyler Murray for the starting QB next season. That could leave McCarthy out in the cold, or at least in a backup role.
Perhaps now would be the time for the Browns to pursue a trade that brings McCarthy to a new team, one that allows him to keep being a starter. A change of scenery might be exactly what he needs.
However, many Browns fans may balk at the idea of McCarthy coming to the team. With his lackluster first season and his history of injuries, he has a lot of red flags waving around him. Convincing Cleveland fans that he’s a better choice than Sanders would be a tough sell.
McCarthy might attract serious interest from numerous teams looking for a young quarterback with room to develop. The Browns are already trying to develop their own youthful QB, so why would they replace him with another?
The idea of the Browns going after McCarthy isn’t entirely out of the question, but it would be a shocking move likely to upset many.
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