By Jim Souhan

Are the Vikings making a major mistake by trading J.J. McCarthy for a fifth-round draft pick?

I would have thought so. Until they traded McCarthy for a fifth-round pick.

Let me explain.

My position on McCarthy has been that he’s a recent first-round draft pick who required a large investment of draft capital, he’s on an NFL winning streak, and he’s talented. You don’t give up on someone like that.

This morning, I wrote that McCarthy could be the Vikings’ starter next season. I was quite wrong.

The fact that the person who pushed for him and coached him and tied his reputation to him was willing to trade him for almost nothing tells us that McCarthy’s personality was a bigger problem than even his erratic play.

Kevin O’Connell has never been more invested in a Vikings quarterback. And he just gave him away.

We received a vital hint about McCarthy’s personality when he refused to play in the third preseason game because of a minor “injury’’ when he should have been trying to beat out Carson Wentz for the backup quarterback job.

Had McCarthy held onto the backup job, he would have played in the first two games of the season.

I’ve been the rare person in the market to defend and promote McCarthy. I kept coming back to his clutch play and athletic ability.

Now I wish I had written him off months ago.

O’Connell will probably feel embarrassed about the McCarthy saga.

I think it’s McCarthy who should be embarrassed, for failing to compete.

In Tuesday’s column, I’ll be offering an unusual view of O’Connell.