Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy may or may not play against the Green Bay Packers in Week 18, but regardless […]
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy may or may not play against the Green Bay Packers in Week 18, but regardless of that contest, the man is about to become the epicenter of the franchise’s offseason. A rather straightforward debate will erupt in nine days, and McCarthy will be smack dab in the middle.
Minnesota isn’t evaluating a single quarterback; it’s deciding how much risk it can tolerate at the most important position, and whether the next move is patience, a real contingency plan, or a hard, hard pivot.
Why? How, you ask? Simple — McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to injury, then played miserably in his first several games, got hurt a few times, played great, and fell injured again.
The Questions Minnesota Can’t Avoid at Quarterback
The McCarthy debate is coming soon to a Vikings water cooler near you.
The Debate: Is McCarthy the Main Solution at QB1 in 2026?
The Vikings’ brass, mainly general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, probably already know the answer to the question, but it’s up close and personal: Do the Vikings trust McCarthy as the main QB1 solution in 2026?
Cancel everything else. Take a breath. Examine that one. It’s the start page of the Choose Your Own Adventure book for the 2026 Vikings offseason.
McCarthy’s season didn’t follow a clean developmental arc. It lurched. The early tape was uneven and, at times, overtly ugly. Then something shifted. Over a short but meaningful stretch, the game slowed down for him — decisiveness improved, accuracy stabilized, and the offense responded.
That matters because rookie quarterbacks rarely skip steps. McCarthy didn’t ease into competence. He jumped from survival mode straight into high-end play, however briefly. That kind of leap doesn’t happen by accident.
The question now isn’t whether the ceiling exists. It’s whether his body will allow him to reach it. If he stays on the field, the trajectory is real.
If Yes, Who Is the Backup?
For one direction in the fork in the road, let’s pretend the Vikings believe in McCarthy to the utmost. Here’s their guy. They love him to pieces. End of story.
Well, they cannot simply hope Max Brosmer plays better next year than his dreadful 2025 showing. They also can’t skip free agency altogether and trade for Sam Howell during the draft. Minnesota will need a real plan. The free-agent options could look like this:
- Aaron Rodgers
- Carson Wentz
- Case Keenum
- Daniel Jones (hurt indefinitely)
- Drew Lock
- Gardner Minshew
- Jake Browning
- Jimmy Garoppolo
- Joe Flacco
- Kenny Pickett
- Malik Willis
- Marcus Mariota
- Mitchell Trubisky
- Russell Wilson
- Teddy Bridgewater
- Tyrod Taylor
- Zach Wilson
Most of those men can be considered upgrades over Brosmer, Howell, and Carson Wentz.
NFL.com‘sJeremy Bergman wrote earlier this month, “J.J. McCarthy’s redshirt rookie season in the NFL hasn’t gone to plan. In his return from last year’s torn meniscus, the Vikings signal-caller has started just six of a possible 12 games, struggling in many of them. Ahead of McCarthy’s third campaign in Minnesota, expect the franchise to buttress him with some help in the quarterback room.”
If No, Who Is the Replacement?
Suppose Adofo-Mensah does not trust McCarthy as “the guy” in an undisputed sense. McCarthy’s injury history and rocky performance pissed him off; let that theory ride for a moment.
The Vikings could pursue a trade for one of these men, and then let the guy battle it out with McCarthy this summer:
- Anthony Richardson
- Davis Mills
- Jalen Milroe
- Jameis Winston
- Kyler Murray
- Mac Jones
- Spencer Rattler
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Will Levis
Murray will probably be the highest-profile option, as the Arizona Cardinals appear to be on the brink of divorce. It’s just that Murray’s contract is huge and reminiscent of the Kirk Cousins era for team-building.
Meanwhile, there are also the outlandish theories: Minnesota could trade for Joe Burrow or Baker Mayfield if either man’s team opts to trade him, assuming either man requests a trade in the first place.
When Burrow sounded sad while talking to reporters a couple of weeks ago, Vikings fans believed that meant he’d soon depart Cincinnati — and into Minnesota’s lap.
Mac Jones as the One ‘Thread the Needle’ Solution
Jones could be a perfect fit for the Vikings’ “other” quarterback job in 2026. The only hiccup? He’s under contract in San Francisco, and with Brock Purdy somewhat injury-prone, why would the 49ers want to get rid of their contingency plan to help the Vikings?
Still, if the 49ers make Jones for sale, he fits both worlds quite well, giving Minnesota optionality. Think of it this way:
- Jones is very familiar with QB2 jobs.
- If McCarthy wins the QB1 job, Jones won’t squawk about a QB2 assignment.
- Jones put on a clinic as the 49ers’ starter this season when Purdy was hurt.
- Jones is young enough to mature into a franchise quarterback if McCarthy falters — think Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield.
- The Vikings would have two possible QB1 options in the house, and neither is old. They have untapped ceilings, unlike Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz types.
Remember Jones as the best QB alternative for the Vikings if San Francisco is willing to trade him. He might be the only guy who fits both categories at an affordable price.
Category: General Sports
