# Bucky Brooks: Brooks predicted J.J. McCarthy won't be on the Vikings' roster (traded or released), said Kyler Murray wins the Vikings' QB competition, made a series of 2025 award picks, made 2026 Heisman/draft projections including Arch Manning as the front-runner for the No. 1 overall pick, and said none of Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen or Joe Burrow win a championship this season.

**Claimed:** Aug 30, 2026
**Pundit:** Bucky Brooks — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/bucky-brooks
**Outlet:** Fox Sports Radio (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/fox-sports-radio-podcast
**How it reached us:** said on air or in an interview
**Original:** https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/551c44d9-d7e8-4da3-bacd-ae2e0038717f/956be755-0b6f-4484-bc7f-b4b600d94ab5/audio.mp3?in_playlist=be0668fc-1028-4ce5-80eb-ae2e00387188

14 checkable claims — 6 award picks, 3 depth chart calls, 2 trade and signing calls, 1 coach award pick, 1 mock draft pick and 1 roster spot call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet.

It names 22 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

3 of 14 have settled so far, averaging 66.7 out of 100, against 33.3 for a naive guess at the same calls.

Of the 4 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.

> I think he is the front runner to be the number one overall pick.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **J.J. McCarthy to move to Minnesota Vikings**
  - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Josh Johnson to make the roster**
  - Kind: Roster Spot Calls · About: Josh Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess
- **Keenan Allen to move to Indianapolis Colts**
  - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Keenan Allen, Indianapolis Colts
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Trevor Lawrence to win MVP**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Arch Manning to be picked at number 1**
  - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Arch Manning
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Kyle Hamilton to win Defensive Player of the Year**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Carnell Tate to win Offensive Rookie of the Year**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **John Harbaugh to win Coach of the Year**
  - Kind: Coach Award Picks
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Deshaun Watson to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Puka Nacua to win Offensive Player of the Year**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Arvell Reese to win Defensive Rookie of the Year**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Arvell Reese, New York Giants
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Kyler Murray to win Comeback Player of the Year**
  - Kind: Award Picks · About: Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- J.J. McCarthy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/j-j-mccarthy
- Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings
- Josh Johnson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/josh-johnson
- Cincinnati Bengals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/bengals
- Keenan Allen — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/keenan-allen
- Indianapolis Colts — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/colts
- Kyler Murray — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kyler-murray
- Trevor Lawrence — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/trevor-lawrence
- Jacksonville Jaguars — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jaguars
- Arch Manning — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/arch-manning
- Kirk Cousins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kirk-cousins
- Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders
- Kyle Hamilton — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kyle-hamilton
- Baltimore Ravens — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/ravens
- Carnell Tate — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/carnell-tate
- Tennessee Titans — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/titans
- Deshaun Watson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/deshaun-watson
- Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns
- Puka Nacua — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/puka-nacua
- Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/rams
- Arvell Reese — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/arvell-reese
- New York Giants — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/giants

## What others said about the same people

- Chris Simms on Baltimore Ravens: Simms went through the entire Week 3 slate with straight-up winners and predicted final scores, taking Jacksonville, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle, the Giants, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minnesota, San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. He also expected Zay Flowers and Puka Nacua to sit, Kyler Murray to play, and said Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as no better than a good No. 2 or high-end No. 3 receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/662b7ba3-1bf6-4ad0-9f93-9f2ab83143fd (scored 97.62)
- Connor Rogers on New York Giants: Rogers picked Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle and the Giants to win their Week 3 games, saying the Chiefs win by two touchdowns and the Giants by a field goal. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/83d1e88b-95a0-45ba-83d3-f86297170c6c (scored 100)
- Chris Long on Cincinnati Bengals: Long liked the Rams over the Broncos on Sunday night even without Puka Nacua, and expected the Bills to beat the winless Chargers in Buffalo. He also backed the Bengals over the Steelers, expected an angry Detroit team to handle the Jets, and still thought both the Lions and Vikings could win the NFC North. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3df9ea25-e57f-4fd7-b20c-c910a1c3633a (scored 0)
- Steven Ruiz on Las Vegas Raiders: Previewing Week 3, Ruiz picked the Ravens to beat the Cowboys in Brazil, Jacksonville over New England in a low-scoring game, an upset by the Broncos over the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears, the Lions over the Jets, and his Hail Mary that Houston beats Indianapolis by two touchdowns. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a30ff469-4972-4c48-855b-ba984e4de9d0 (scored 100)
- Nate Tice on Baltimore Ravens: Tice matched his guest on every Week 3 game, picking the Ravens over the Cowboys, the Jaguars over the Patriots in a close game, the Broncos to upset the Rams, the Raiders over the Saints, the Eagles over the Bears and the Lions over the Jets. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b8378e16-ea5c-4107-a883-28aaf0e71134 (scored 100)
- Sam Monson on Minnesota Vikings: Monson picked the Chargers to beat the Bills outright (jokingly crediting Buffalo's gray 'Nickel City' jerseys), took the Vikings to win outright in Tampa, and said Seattle would destroy Washington. He also reiterated his Super Bowl pick of Denver over the Rams, called the Dolphins destined for the No. 1 overall pick, and said the Saints are a worst-to-first candidate in the NFC South. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/0b810ffd-fd93-4ea2-a208-b1353dea5fb0 (scored 100)

## More award picks

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Gregg Rosenthal on Tristan Wirfs: Rosenthal picked Patrick Mahomes for MVP, Micah Parsons for Defensive Player of the Year, Jahmyr Gibbs for Offensive Player of the Year, Aaron Glenn for Coach of the Year, Travis Hunter for both Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bill Callahan for Assistant Coach of the Year and Tristan Wirfs for Protector of the Year. He also made depth-chart calls on Adam Thielen and Jalen Coker. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/88928365-78fb-4f7b-84a4-0dd7856ba9cc (scored 0)
- Jourdan Rodrigue on Penei Sewell: Rodrigue picked Patrick Mahomes for MVP, Jared Verse for Defensive Player of the Year, Ja'Marr Chase for Offensive Player of the Year, Mike Vrabel for Coach of the Year, TreVeyon Henderson for Offensive Rookie of the Year and Abdul Carter for Defensive Rookie of the Year, with Jesse Minter for Assistant Coach of the Year and Penei Sewell for Protector of the Year. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f3ba94ea-a935-4534-88e4-bb6027bf87ad (scored 0)
- Brandon Sneide on Drake Maye: Snyder picks the Seahawks to beat the Patriots 31-23 in Super Bowl 60, believing Seattle pulls away late, and says Drake Maye will finish second in MVP voting behind Matthew Stafford. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1cf83e90-e59f-4c8f-941f-c732efcb4c03 (scored 0)
- Nick Wright on Rashid Shaheed: Nick picked Seattle to win the Super Bowl 27-17, citing Seattle's defense, coaching against young quarterbacks and schedule strength, and named Rasheed Shaheed as his dark horse Super Bowl MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1fe4abc6-28e3-412b-ab6e-d2f65f25682f (scored 0)
- Chris Broussard on Cooper Kupp: Broussard picked New England to beat Seattle 24-21, with Drake May winning Super Bowl MVP, and named Cooper Kupp as his dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/1247ee30-3338-4940-8fc9-977cc215ff59 (scored 0)
- Eric Mangini on Drake Maye: Mangini picked the Patriots 23-20 with Drake May as Super Bowl MVP, and earlier named Kayshon Boutte ("Kaeshawn Booty") as his dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/332dce8c-f71c-4f26-a976-8f4615a9f9bd (scored 0)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

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