The Vikings allowed quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones to depart in free agency this offseason, underscoring their faith in 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. While Minnesota wanted an experienced backup behind McCarthy – which explains the club’s April acquisition of Sam Howell and the signing of Carson Wentz after Howell was traded in August – neither of those players was seen as a threat to McCarthy’s starting job. In 2026, the Vikes could possibly be searching for someone who will actually push the Michigan product for the QB1 role.
Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, multiple league insiders suggest Minnesota may follow the QB blueprint the Colts took in the course of the 2025 offseason. In other words, the Vikings could acquire a veteran or reclamation project to compete with McCarthy, in much the identical way Indianapolis signed Jones to battle with Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall alternative of the 2023 draft. Jones, who had washed out with the Giants, found recent life in Indiana and is in line for an additional lucrative, multiyear deal (or a minimum of the hefty $46.1MM franchise tag) in 2026.
Fowler says Jones stays an excellent fit for the Vikings, who could make a run at their former backup if the Colts are unable or unwilling to maintain him off the market. Fowler also names the 49ers’ Mac Jones and the Texans’ Davis Mills as possible Minnesota targets. Each of those players were once viewed as potential franchise quarterbacks, and while Jones’ tenure in Recent England and Mills’ stint as Houston’s full-time starter didn’t end well, they each have built some trade value this season because of their efforts in relief of their respective clubs’ top signal-callers.
Mills, 27, has not been a world-beater during C.J. Stroud’s time within the concussion protocol, but he has led Houston to a 3-0 record within the games he has began, throwing five touchdowns against one interception in the method. Mac Jones, meanwhile, went 5-3 as a starter with Brock Purdy on the shelf, posting a completion percentage of 69.6% (fourth-highest within the league) and a 97.4 quarterback rating. He generally looked just like the player who finished second in Offensive Rookie of the 12 months voting in 2021, and while each he and Mills are under contract through 2026, they each could possibly be trade targets of teams like Minnesota (Fowler says the Niners could even fetch a Day 2 pick for Mac Jones).
Kyler Murray, who may have already got taken his last snap for the Cardinals, and (interestingly enough) Richardson also fit the mold of players the Vikings could consider, as Fowler notes. The ESPN scribe says Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell has respect for Richardson, who has expressed interest in playing under an offense-oriented HC, specifically Sean McVay or someone from his coaching tree (like O’Connell).
If the Vikings as a substitute consider a player closer to the tip of their profession, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco may be options (Minnesota spoke with Flacco this offseason, and Rodgers made it known the Vikes were his preferred landing spot). Likewise, a reunion with Wentz could possibly be on the table, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
Wentz, who will turn 32 next month, had several strong showings earlier this 12 months when McCarthy was sidelined with an ankle sprain. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury he sustained in Week 5 derailed his next two starts and brought a premature end to his season. Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune says Wentz’s shoulder surgery went well, so if O’Connell liked what he saw from the previous MVP candidate, he could return in a minimum of a backup capability, or at the same time as competition for McCarthy.
After missing all of his rookie campaign because of injury, McCarthy has struggled with more health issues this season. He missed five games because of the above-mentioned ankle sprain, and he will likely be sidelined for his team’s Week 13 contest while going through the concussion protocol. When he has been on the sphere, he has not played particularly well, completing only 54.1% of his pass attempts and throwing 10 interceptions and just six touchdowns en path to a 2-4 record.
Thanks largely to McCarthy’s struggles, elite wideout Justin Jefferson has posted a career-low yards-per-game average (72.3) and catch percentage (60.6%). The 2-time First Team All-Pro nonetheless offered public support for his young passer.
“It’s early,” Jefferson said (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert). “He’s recent to the sport. He’s recent to the NFL. He’s learning identical to everyone else has to learn as a rookie, and he obviously needed to undergo the mental stage of getting to beat an injury the primary 12 months. So just a tricky transition for him. But I feel like just him learning these past couple games, and naturally learning [during] the stretch of this season, I feel like he’s going to bounce back otherwise than everybody else goes to think so.”
Veteran running back Aaron Jones expressed an analogous sentiment, saying, “I told [McCarthy] that those who counted you out, they’re going to must recount.”
While McCarthy is sidelined, UDFA rookie Max Brosmer will get the primary start(s) of his profession. A robust performance could a minimum of put him in consideration for an prolonged run in 2026.