New QB Could Be on the Menu for Vikings in 2026
J.J. McCarthy’s durability has complicated the Minnesota Vikings’ short and long-term plans, so much so that the team may need a new quarterback in 2026 — either as a new starter or a man who could start and lead the franchise if McCarthy went down.
If McCarthy’s availability becomes a week-to-week storyline again, the Vikings will have to treat 2026 as a true quarterback marketplace, not a formality.
That’s the latest and greatest declaration this week from The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis, who stated rather emphatically that a new quarterback must be on the offseason menu.
How Minnesota Could Approach the 2026 Quarterback Market
McCarthy-only is no longer a sound plan next season.
McCarthy’s Injury Woes Force Vikings’ Hand
Leaving nothing to the imagination, Lewis claimed after Minnesota’s win over the New York Giants that the Vikings’ brass will be quarterback shopping in the offseason.
He explained, “In the short term, that will likely mean undrafted rookie Max Brosmer receives more opportunities. The bigger picture is more pressing. An NFL team is only as good as its quarterback, and its quarterback is only as good as his ability to stay healthy. McCarthy’s season-long performance was always likely to leave the Vikings searching for insurance at the position this spring.”
“The more difficult it becomes to rely on his availability, the more aggressively they’re likely to pursue a trusted and talented option. The Vikings haven’t won a playoff game in six seasons. The current leadership of O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah hasn’t won one at all. Pursuing the postseason without a quarterback you can fully count on is a recipe for disaster. You don’t have to look too far for evidence.”
It’s also worth noting that Lewis is not a hot take merchant. He’s probably onto something with the theory.
Free Agency for the Extra QB?
Depending on what kind of quarterback Minnesota might want in addition to McCarthy in 2026, these free agents should be available in March:
- Teddy Bridgewater
- Jake Browning
- Jimmy Garoppolo
- Joe Flacco
- Case Keenum
- Daniel Jones (torn Achilles)
- Drew Lock
- Marcus Mariota
- Gardner Minshew
- Kenny Pickett
- Aaron Rodgers
- Tyrod Taylor
- Mitchell Trubisky
- Carson Wentz
- Malik Willis
- Russell Wilson
- Zach Wilson
Most, besides Rodgers, would “know their role” and serve as a handy QB2 in case McCarthy got hurt or struggled profusely. There is rarely a shortage of decent QB2s in the NFL, so long as the Vikings don’t ignore the process altogether, as they did in 2024 free agency, waiting until the NFL Draft to acquire Sam Howell, who was later traded a few months later.
How about Realistic Trades?
Then there are trade options, divided into two parts. These men can reasonably be obtained via trade. As in — it won’t be strange one bit if the Vikings dangle draft picks for these quarterbacks:
- Mac Jones
- Will Levis
- Davis Mills
- Jalen Milroe
- Kyler Murray
- Spencer Rattler
- Anthony Richardson
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Jameis Winston
The Athletic‘s Jeff Howe wrote about the idea of a Mac Jones trade last week: “The Niners owe Jones $3.25 million in 2026, and Brock Purdy has dealt with injuries in all four years of his career. Shanahan has been fond of Jones since the draft process, just watched him succeed in his offense and has him under control at a bargain-bin rate.”
“Why in the world would he surrender Jones, considering all the reasons to keep him? Maybe the 49ers would be enticed by a package centered around a second-round pick, but even that doesn’t feel like enough to relinquish Jones. Conversely, a first-round offer feels incredibly aggressive for an acquiring team, which makes things a bit tricky. Purdy is on the books for about $47 million guaranteed in 2026 but just $11.9 million in 2027.”
Jones feels like he’s on the cusp of becoming the next Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold per the reclamation story.
Howe continued, “The Niners’ best strategy may be to keep Jones for another season and evaluate which QB is worth keeping from there. But if they’re motivated sellers with uber long-term confidence in Purdy, the Niners should have an easy time moving Jones, and might even be able to start a bidding war for his services.”
The Far-Fetched Trades
There are also the quasi-outrageous theories from fans, driven by the mindset of big-game hunting. That list, while not very realistic, would look like this:
- Joe Burrow
- Sam Darnold
- Justin Herbert
- Lamar Jackson
- Baker Mayfield
- Dak Prescott
Of all the men on the would-be trade menus, Mac Jones or Kyler Murray probably make the most sense.
The Draft — Again?
Finally, Minnesota, theoretically, could scrap the McCarthy plan almost entirely by drafting a quarterback. Adofo-Mensah will probably have a 1st-Round pick between 12th and 18th, and a quarterback or two will be there for the taking.
As of December 2026, these quarterbacks are expected to go off the board before the end of Round 4:
- Fernando Mendoza (Indiana)
- Dante Moore (Oregon)
- Ty Simpson (Alabama)
- Garrett Mussmeier (LSU)
- Cade Klubnik (Clemson)
- Carson Beck (Miami)
- John Mateer (Oklahoma)
- Drew Allar (Penn State)
It’s just unclear if the Vikings’ owners would allow the current general manager to pick another quarterback just two years after the McCarthy investment.
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