We have now been hearing for a while that the Vikings plan so as to add competition for quarterback J.J. McCarthy this offseason. During a recent appearance on the Scoop City podcast, Dianna Russini of The Athletic threw cold water on the notion that a Minnesota-Kirk Cousins reunion could possibly be within the cards, though she did acknowledge that the Vikes could look so as to add to their QB room (video link).
Just as Russini reiterated Minnesota still desires to develop McCarthy within the hopes that he can live as much as his first-round draft status, ESPN’s Dan Graziano confirms the Vikings will not be ready to present up on the Michigan product. Still, the club seems to want McCarthy to earn the starting job in 2026, and along with Cousins, names like Kyler Murray and Anthony Richardson have been floated as possibilities.
There could also be mutual interest between the Vikings and Richardson, who could be acquired via trade with the Colts. As ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted last month, a trade could possibly be the almost definitely way for Minnesota so as to add McCarthy competition, because a free agent with options may not wish to sign without assurances that they will likely be given first crack on the QB1 role. Other trade possibilities, per Graziano, include the Eagles’ Tanner McKee and the Texans’ Davis Mills.
Mills was linked to the Vikings in a November report, identical to Murray was. Graziano says signs proceed to point to a Murray release, which suggests he will likely be a free agent in brief order (and due to this fact may not wish to hitch his wagon to a team that also has high hopes for its incumbent starter).
Just as Arizona is more likely to cut Murray, the Dolphins are expected to release Tua Tagovailoa within the near future, with Graziano confirming the cut will likely be made with a post-June 1 designation. With respect to their possible free agent targets, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (in the identical Graziano piece linked above) reports the Vikings have Murray and the Raiders’ Geno Smith of their first tier of preferred options, with Cousins and Tagovailoa within the second tier.
Smith, though, may not make it to the open market. As our Nikhil Mehta recently suggested, it might behoove the Raiders to retain Smith as a mentor for Fernando Mendoza, whom Las Vegas is all but certain to pick out with the highest pick on this yr’s draft. Per Graziano, coaches from multiple QB-needy outfits are anxious to see if the Raiders will release Smith, as they consider the 35-year-old was held back by the Silver-and-Black’s offensive system in 2025. The Raiders may feel the identical and will due to this fact keep Smith within the fold.
In the event that they do decide to part ways, Fowler believes the Vikings make loads of sense as a landing spot. He adds that many quarterbacks view Minnesota as a lovely destination, likely on account of the presence of head coach Kevin O’Connell and wide receiver Justin Jefferson (though again, it is feasible that McCarthy and Minnesota’s hopes for him could act as something of a deterrent).
It still seems fair to expect the Vikings so as to add a QB. Whether or not they can lure a high-profile player like Murray or Tagovailoa or might want to execute a trade for a passer like Mills or McKee is the query.