J.J. McCarthy, Vikings
Getty
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
The Minnesota Vikings let two viable starting quarterbacks walk in favor of J.J. McCarthy, both of which are decisions they could end up regretting.
The Vikings weren’t going to spend the amount of money necessary to keep Sam Darnold after the Seattle Seahawks offered him a three-year contract worth $100.5 million earlier this offseason, especially after selecting McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
However, Minnesota signed Daniel Jones out of free agency last year after the New York Giants cut ties with their longtime starter midseason. The Vikings hoped to keep him rostered into 2025 as the potential backup to McCarthy and/or his competition for the starting job.
But the Indianapolis Colts offered Jones a $14 million contract along with what was presumably a better chance to actually win the QB1 title over third-year quarterback and former No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson.
On Saturday, July 5, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wrote that Jones appears to have already won that job, meaning the Vikings let go a potential starter and a viable backup QB in Jones and then replaced him with fourth-year signal-caller Sam Howell.
“It already feels like Jones will be the Week 1 starter. He’ll then have a chance to lock the revolving door the Colts have had since Andrew Luck retired,” Florio wrote. “If he doesn’t, the Colts will be looking elsewhere in 2026. As to Richardson, his best play is to play better than he ever has, if and when he gets the chance.”
Vikings Lack Viable Options at QB if J.J. McCarthy Plan Fails
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
GettyQuarterback J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
Given the Vikings’ situation in the quarterback room, Florio predicted on Saturday that McCarthy will have at least two years of runway to establish himself in Minnesota.
“He’s getting his shot to play after a knee injury wiped out his rookie season,” Florio wrote. “Anything other than an outright disaster will ensure his status for 2026. At worst, he’d have to compete with a more established veteran next year.”
Minnesota isn’t going to ask McCarthy to navigate what may be a Super Bowl-roster all the way to a championship in his first year as a starter, though the team will expect him to keep the proverbial car on the road.
“The directive is simple: Take what’s there; no need to be a hero,” Alec Lewis of The Athletic wrote on July 2. “Expecting McCarthy to be perfect would be foolish. Thinking he’ll thrive on intermediate routes and anticipatory throws is fair. Most everyone who has spent meaningful time around him raves about him. How he looks will be one of the biggest stories of the NFL season.”
Vikings May Look to Supplement QB Room After Training Camp Begins
The Cleveland Browns are in the mix for QB Kirk Cousins.
GettyFormer Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Depending on how McCarthy performs early in the season, or if he gets injured, the Vikings may need to turn to a secondary option to keep their championship aspirations viable.
Howell would be the answer with training camp approaching, though Minnesota could be in the market for a veteran either via free agency or trade ahead of the midseason deadline.
The Vikings’ options could include trading with the Atlanta Falcons for former starter Kirk Cousins or signing a free agent like Ryan Tannehill or Carson Wentz.