Dec 11, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh gives a fist bump to quarterback Mike White (5) after coming to the sideline after a minor injury in the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports.
Quarterback injuries ravaged the Minnesota Vikings’ 2023 season.
Kirk Cousins missed about half the season to a torn Achilles and then skedaddled to Atlanta this offseason. Nick Mullens wasn’t available for the first part of 2023. And Jaren Hall’s debut skidded off the rails due to a concussion.
So far in 2024, Minnesota has lost J.J. McCarthy to a torn meniscus, and the aforementioned Hall dinged up his leg last weekend. It’s already started again. So, the purple team should sign Mike White, a quarterback dropped by the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted, “Source: Dolphins are releasing QB Mike White.”
The Dolphins will now roll into the 2024 campaign with Tua Tagovailoa and Skylar Thompson as the primary passers, with White scheduled to hit the open market. Minnesota may be in the market for one quarterback, especially awaiting Hall’s injury status determination.
For clarity, these are the Vikings quarterbacks at the moment:
Corral is expected to miss the cut on Tuesday when the Vikings announce a 53-man roster, and McCarthy will merely watch and learn for the next five months. That leaves Darnold at QB1, Mullens as his backup, and likely Hall as QB3.
But White would provide oomph to the quarterback section of the depth chart, even if general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah scooped him for the practice squad. In 2022, White started under center for the New York Jets in four games — one game against the Vikings, in fact — and tallied 298 passing yards per game. The volume gene was there, although he only tossed 3 touchdowns in the four starts. He also added a rushing touchdown for good measure.
The Dallas Cowboys found White in Round 5 of the 2018 NFL Draft, and the man turned 29 five months ago. He’s not an ears-wet rookie or anything of the sort. It’s just that his playing time is limited, throwing just 313 career passes, with his team 2-5 (.285) in such starts. Here’s his NFL resume to date:
White can get the ball downfield, and Minnesota would need that characteristic if its season devolved into QB3 utilization — like last year.
Some team will grab White. Why not the one that lost McCarthy a couple of weeks ago?
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.