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The month of August had to be filled with nerves for someone like Minnesota Vikings quarterback prospect J.J. McCarthy. Not only was he fighting for the starting QB job in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, with the team rostering four players at his position, there was an outside chance he might not even remain with the organization. There were several points where it appeared that the Vikings may be on the verge of finding a trade partner for the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Of course, a trade never materialized, and now he’s likely set to begin the season as the team’s QB3, behind starter Kyler Murray and backup Carson Wentz. However, now an NFL insider suggests that one of the reasons McCarthy may still be in Minnesota, could be because of money. Related: 5 Minnesota Vikings Bold Predictions for Week 1 Matchup Against Packers Minnesota Vikings Had ‘No Intention of Giving J.J. McCarthy Away’ + Did Money Impact Negotiations? At this point, it doesn’t look like the Vikings will be trading McCarthy. Of course, there’s still plenty of time for them to change their minds. More on that in a bit. But why didn’t the Vikings already deal the 23-year-old former first-round pick? Earlier reports suggested that Kevin O’Connell isn’t quite ready to throw in the towel on his young QB prospect. Now, another insider report is backing that one up, with even more details. According to The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero, the Vikings had “no intention of just giving away a 23-year-old quarterback for nothing, especially one who’s well-liked in the locker room and has gone 6-4 as a starter.” However, the NFL insider adds that money may have also played a key role in the Vikings’ trade negotiations. Maybe Murray balls out, and the Vikings become overwhelmingly convinced that he’s their franchise QB of the future. The 29-year-old Vikings fan turned No. 1 overall pick might fall in love with his new organization and let it be known that he wants to stick around for the foreseeable future too. Such a scenario could lead the Vikings to later be more willing to trade McCarthy before the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline. Plus, there’s always a chance that another team’s starting QB suffers a serious injury, which could increase trade interest in someone like McCarthy, especially if said team has an older veteran starter who may not have a long future in their current city. Teams like the Steelers, Jets, Browns, and Cardinals come to mind. Ultimately, it feels like the Vikings are in no rush to move on from their young QB. Yet, if another team offers a deal too good to refuse, perhaps GM Nolan Teasley changes his mind.