Randle demands competition for the QB, rejecting familiar faces and advocating for a fresh start to revitalize the Vikings' fortunes.
There's a quarterback situation brewing in Minnesota. It's not a quarterback controversy, because there is no other quarterback to challenge for the job than the one that the team went with in 2026. The Vikings are looking to change that this offseason.
Minnesota is well documented as a team looking to add a quarterback this offseason. And while beggars can't be choosers in a bare cupboard at the position, the Vikings won't be settling for anything less than at least a one-year solution at the position. Some former Vikings players are looking for more than a one-year fix.
Former Vikings pass rusher John Randle is making his opinions known on the quarterback situation. He said the following of starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy and where the team needs to move this season.
“If I was the GM, I would definitely give him competition. I’m bringing in competition for him. I would tell him, ‘Last year, you had your chance. We gave it to you. But you didn’t prove that you could really handle it, so we’re gonna bring somebody in who’s definitely gonna give you competition.'”
Kirk Cousins and Derek Carr don't appear to be answers for Randle either. He let his opinion be known on the two quarterbacks.
“I’m not a big fan of Derek Carr. ... Talking about Kirk Cousins coming back, I’m like, ‘Dude, we’ve been down that road. No. We want to move on from you.’ … You have won what, maybe one playoff game? I want more.”
When you do get picky, it limits your options. That said, Minnesota is looking to get out of its current rut and certainly is not interested in staying in it. For that reason, Randle and many other Vikings supporters are not buying into some of the team's projected options at the position.
With Derek Carr comes some risk. Although he was good when he most recently took the field, he did not play in 2025. There's no telling how much rust he will have if he gets back to playing.
Cousins, Randle suggests, had ample time to prove he could lead Minnesota to playoff success and came up short. He isn't looking to see more of the same with the Vikings. Then again, an unwillingness to settle for Cousins and Carr puts the Vikings in a tough spot. If the options for Minnesota are limited, so is the team's margin for error this offseason.
We'll see where the Vikings go at quarterback this offseason.