The Minnesota Vikings will need to re-evaluate the quarterback position after the 2025 season.
J.J. McCarthy hasn't lived up to the hype as the starter for the Vikings, as the 22-year-old has tossed six touchdowns to ten interceptions in six starts this year and has cost Minnesota multiple wins.
Additionally, McCarthy continues to struggle with injuries. The Michigan product missed five games earlier this year after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 2.
McCarthy is now back on the injury report, as the Vikings placed him in concussion protocol after a Week 13 defeat to the Green Bay Packers, a game where the young signal-caller threw two interceptions and posted just 87 passing yards.
With McCarthy leaving a lot to be desired, Minnesota must consider adding to the quarterback room this offseason. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler lists five signal-callers the Vikings could target in 2026, including Daniel Jones, Joe Flacco, Kyler Murray, Mac Jones, and Davis Mills.
Jones and Murray would be starting options for Minnesota, but they are also the least likely. Though he will hit free agency in the spring, Jones will cost a ton of money, and the Indianapolis Colts seem destined to re-sign their veteran starter.
Murray's future with the Arizona Cardinals is incredibly uncertain. There's a high chance that the former No.1 pick will be in a new uniform next season, and though the Vikings would be a logical landing spot, Minnesota would have to give up premium draft capital for Murray.
Signing a high-level backup who could be a starter, like Flacco, Mac Jones, or Mills, would be a realistic path for Minnesota. None will cost too much to sign or acquire, and would provide fantastic insurance behind McCarthy.
If the Vikings want to completely move on from McCarthy, adding a starting-level player like Daniel Jones or Murray would be the splash move to make. However, it's just too early to give up on McCarthy, so signing a reliable backup who has the ability to start should be general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's plan in the offseason.
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