Mac Jones, Aaron Rodgers, or a dark horse? The Vikings are weighing big names and cost-effective options to challenge J.J. McCarthy.
The Minnesota Vikings and their brass have made it clear that the team will bring in another quarterback to compete with J.J. McCarthy. The question becomes: which quarterback will it be?
Someone like Mac Jones makes a lot of sense given his experience as a starter, but the Vikings would need to trade for him, as he is under contract with the San Francisco 49ers for another year.
The competition for the starting spot isn't just about McCarthy's play, but his injury history. Injuries have forced the former Michigan quarterback to miss nearly 70% of his games.
What about Aaron Rodgers? He wasn't exactly shy about wanting to play next season since his one-year deal with the Steelers expired following their wild-card round loss to the Houston Texans.
ESPN's Kevin Seifert wasn't shy with the information he has obtained about the possibility of the Vikings making a splash trade at the position.
“I could not find anyone to tell me that they definitely don’t want to pursue a Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson or whoever else might shake loose in terms of a guy that would absolutely come in here as the unquestioned starter,” he explained.
Sportnaut’s Matt Johnson disagrees with the notion and offered Marcus Mariota as a possibility for the Vikings.
“The Minnesota Vikings are not going to pursue a quarterback who would be viewed as a serious challenger to J.J. McCarthy in training camp,” he argued.
“What Kevin O’Connell wants is a veteran who can, if needed, come off the bench and play effectively within the structure of the offense. Look at what Marcus Mariota has done in the last two seasons when Jayden Daniels was sidelined.”
Johnson continued, “Across 14 games, he posted a 93.4 passer rating with a 14-7 touchdown-to-interception line, a 63.8 percent completion rate and 7.6 yards per attempt. Plus, he offers rushing ability. He is an ideal and cost-effective option for Minnesota. If McCarthy struggles early next season, the offense could improve with Mariota under center.”
Clutch Points’ Bailey Bassett spoke about a possible trade for Justin Herbert.
A Justin Herbert trade to the Minnesota Vikings could work. The Minnesota Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy 10th overall in 2024. Through two seasons, injuries have limited him to just 10 games.”
“The Michigan product and college national champion has plenty of potential, which is why the team chose him over retaining Sam Darnold. They may be regretting that decision, though. With a great defense and Justin Jefferson, one of the best receivers in football, on the roster, the Vikings are just a quarterback away from being a problem.”
Which quarterback do you believe the Vikings should bring in to compete with McCarthy?