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By Evan Massey
Contributing Sports Writer
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The 2025 NFL season is right around the corner and the Minnesota Vikings are set to begin a new era. With second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy taking over the keys to the offense, there is a lot of excitement surrounding the team and a lot of questions as well.
McCarthy missed all of his rookie season last year due to a knee injury. He missed valuable time, but the Vikings are still very confident in his ability.
However, the questions remain about his ability to take over the starting job. Will he be able to keep Minnesota as one of the top contenders in the NFC? That remains to be seen.
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With that in mind, the Vikings have been linked to a potential quarterback trade that would add insurance behind McCarthy.
Read more: Jets Linked to Surprise QB Trade to Challenge Justin Fields
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox has named Minnesota as one of the teams that could consider pursuing a trade with the New York Giants for veteran quarterback James Winston.
"While Minnesota did trade for Sam Howell this offseason, it doesn't have a ton of experience behind second-year quarterback and first-year starter J.J. McCarthy," Knox wrote.
Winston would be a perfect backup addition for the Vikings. He brings a great presence to the locker room and has been a very good backup throughout his career. If he's called upon, he's more than capable of stepping in and playing at a high level.
During the 2024 NFL season with the Cleveland Browns, Winston started the year as a backup. He took over as the starter when Deshaun Watson went down with a torn Achilles.
In the 12 games he played throughout the year, Winston completed 61.1 percent of his pass attempts for 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
Read more: Bills' Josh Allen Sends Clear Message on What Drives Him This Season
Of course, the 31-year-old quarterback has always struggled with turnovers. He has thrown more than his fair of interceptions, but he has also been a top-tier playmaker at times. Making a move for him would give Minnesota a legitimate player to turn to if McCarthy struggles.
While this is just an idea right now, it's one that could make sense. Winston is currently penciled in as the likely No. 3 quarterback for the Giants behind Russell Wilson and rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart.
Expect to hear more rumors about Winston as training camp and the preseason move forward. It would not be shocking if the Vikings had some level of interest in him.
For more on the Minnesota Vikings and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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