O'Connell hints at a fiercer battle for the starting job, signaling a shake-up in the Vikings' quarterback room for next season.
There will be quarterback competition in Minnesota this offseason. This comes after the Vikings fell from 14-3 in 2024 to out of the playoffs in 2025.
The Vikings weren't all bad the last time they took the field. The team managed a 9-8 season in 2025 which does not suggest they played that poorly. However, the team's success rested mostly on the defense, and many would suggest the variable that brought the team down from 14 wins to nine was the quarterback position.
J.J. McCarthy was not the only quarterback who struggled in 2025. Max Brosmer and Carson Wentz both came in to play the position in McCarthy's absence due to a couple of injuries for the Vikings starter. But even Wentz could make the case he played better than the developing quarterback project in McCarthy.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell cleared the air on the quarterback room in 2026 and beyond. He shared the following of what the position group could look like after this offseason.
"Ultimately, I think in the quarterback room, it’s about having just the deepest, [most] talented room you possibly can, every single year.
What that looks like at a pretty impactful position on your salary cap, when you’re able to possibly plan for your depth chart looking in a way where you can be competitive no matter what. ...
I think there has to be (competition). I think that’s what’s gonna make everybody better in that room. It’s gonna be what makes our entire offense thrive through that competition.”
Nov 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) is tackled by Chicago Bears free safety Kevin Byard (31) during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn ImagesO'Connell's words seem to lean toward the Vikings seeking a quality free agent quarterback in the offseason. The competition for which O'Connell is looking for does not seem to be on the roster presently.
Whether or not the Vikings look for this off-season's version of Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Jones, San Francisco backup Mac Jones or Pittsburgh Steelers veteran Aaron Rodgers is still to be seen. We really cannot know what type of upgrade to the quarterback room they will bring. We do not even know if that upgrade will start over McCarthy. Certainly, enough has been invested in McCarthy that one could see him starting over the backup plan when the season begins.
What is certain is many believe the quarterback room as currently constructed is not good enough to compete for a conference title. And in reality, that's what Vikings fans want to see moving forward.
Minnesota wants competition at quarterback. The next few months will reveal from where that competition will come.