Zach Wilson, Denver Broncos
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Zach Wilson #4 of the Denver Broncos looks on during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Minnesota Vikings will enter training camp with Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy battling for the starting job, but one team insider said fans should expect a third competitor to enter the mix sooner than later.
Alec Lewis of The Athletic wrote this week that Minnesota and Carson Wentz, who started five games last season in place of McCarthy, have a shared interest in reuniting.
“Carson Wentz, who played 300 snaps for the Vikings in 2025, would be the likeliest candidate. There is familiarity and mutual interest between the two sides,” Lewis wrote. “If Wentz were to sign elsewhere, the Vikings could turn to Andy Dalton, whom the Panthers may be willing to part with after signing Kenny Pickett. Other veterans, like Tyrod Taylor, are available.”
However, Lewis also noted two recent top-five picks as possible targets in Minneapolis over the coming days/weeks.
“Because O’Connell loves a quarterback project, it’s also difficult to rule out former highly-drafted options like Anthony Richardson and Zach Wilson,” Lewis continued. “Richardson, specifically, intrigued the Vikings before the 2024 draft. His time with the Colts appears to have come to an end.”
Zach Wilson Easier for Vikings to Add This Offseason Than Anthony Richardson
Zach Wilson Miami Dolphins
GettyQuarterback Zach Wilson, formerly of the Miami Dolphins.
Analysts have connected the Vikings and Richardson as a possible pairing for the better part of a year, though Wilson also offers an intriguing short-term option with potential upside. He is a free agent this offseason, while Minnesota would have to trade a draft asset for Richardson and then deal with a decision on his fifth-year option prior to May 1.
Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, has earned more than $41 million in his career and is looking for a landing spot with what will be his fourth team in six seasons. Spotrac projects his market value at just $1.6 million on a one-year deal in 2026.
Wilson has appeared in 38 games, earning 33 starts, across stints with the New York Jets, Denver Broncos and most recently the Miami Dolphins in 2025. He has tallied 6,325 passing yards, 23 TDs and 25 INTs on a 57 percent completion rate. Wilson is 12-21-1 as a starter in the league.
JJ McCarthy Could End Up on Trade Block Sooner Than Later
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy.
Meanwhile, the most murky future of any player currently on Minnesota’s roster might belong to McCarthy.
The team refused to commit to Murray or McCarthy as the starter at this point in the offseason, though the majority of analysts speculate that the job is now Murray’s to lose. Things could get even more complicated if the team adds Wilson or Richardson to the mix.
Thus, McCarthy is a possible trade candidate, which Lewis also addressed.
“Plenty of quarterback-needy teams have monitored McCarthy’s first two seasons from afar,” Lewis wrote. “McCarthy is perceived as a sizable project. … Six years ago, the Cardinals fetched second- and fifth-round picks from the Dolphins for young former first-rounder Josh Rosen. He quickly flamed out. Given how aware other teams are of the hurdles McCarthy has faced in his first two seasons, expecting a commensurate return is lofty.”
Bleacher Report named Arizona as a primary candidate to trade for McCarthy if the Vikings ultimately decide to make him available.