The NFL is unpredictable, so two capable quarterbacks make sense, but would the Vikings bring in someone to push JJ?
The last two weeks have been very important for the Vikings, Kevin O'Connell, and J.J. McCarthy. Two straight wins, even after being eliminated from the playoffs, and back-to-back 30-point games have gone a long way to instill confidence in the future of the quarterback position and offense. Sunday is another good chance to keep it rolling against a bottom-three defense in the Giants.
But what about next season? McCarthy is the favorite to start, given the investment in draft capital and his rookie contract. The former Michigan quarterback should have his first season under his belt with a chance to take a second-year leap in the same system and with valuable experience.
Carson Wentz went down after his stint as the starter, but he was a designated backup quarterback and never a threat to the second-year quarterback. Why bring that up? Well, there have been whispers about the Vikings' willingness to bring back Daniel Jones on a similar contract to the deal he signed with Indianapolis.
Did the Vikings want Jones back as a backup or insurance for McCarthy? It's clear Jones was assured of a better chance to start in Indianapolis than in Minnesota, but given the early-season struggles of McCarthy, would Jones have given the job back if given the chance?
Danny Kanell of CBS Sports named outed Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as someone the Vikings should be interested in heading into 2026.
“I think there are a couple of different scenarios to consider,” Kannel said on a recent appearance on “CBS Sports HQ.“ “One, a team that’s potentially going to draft a young quarterback and then bring in Tua as a bridge, where he can start. You put him in a situation and ask him to be a mentor. I don’t know if Tua will sit comfortably knowing that he’s going to be a mentor, but that’s the reality of his career right now.
“You go to a place that has a young quarterback who is struggling like Minnesota. Remember, Minnesota had Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold last year and moved on from both to bet on J.J. McCarthy. That hasn’t worked. He’s still on his rookie deal. So, you could bring in Tua at a reduced rate. But again, he can start and is capable of leading an offense. That type of situation would work out best for Tua.”
There are two ways to view this. It is a bit concerning for McCarthy to see the Vikings bring in someone to potentially compete with you for the starting spot. On the flip side, what if competition brings out the best in "nine?"
The NFL has forced teams to look for as many suitable options for their quarterback room, given the unfortunate injury luck, and as a safety net for their season if play falls off a cliff. The Vikings are faced with an interesting decision this offseason.