Our QB2 Endorsement for the Vikings
Last week, Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens, and Daniel Jones left the Minnesota Vikings for the Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Indianapolis Colts, respectively.
Our QB2 Endorsement for the Vikings
That left the depth chart with three things:
- J.J. McCarthy as the apparent QB1 for 2025.
- Brett Rypien as the sole backup option.
- Aaron Rodgers rumors.
Soon, the purple team will sign a QB2, and our official endorsement is Drew Lock.
The Vikings Should Sign Drew Lock
Lock could serve as an adept backup passer in Kevin O’Connell’s system. He’s big-armed, loves to fling the rock, and is infectious. The man might need a few more cracks at some starts in the NFL to be ruled out as a long-term starter. In the end, he probably would’ve blossomed by now, but if the Vikings want a promising QB2 option, they should get funky with Lock.
What’s more, adding Lock won’t generate a summer quarterback competition. He’ll know his role — he’s already a backup — behind J.J. McCarthy, and summer operations can operate suspense-free in Eagan.
It’s well-known now that head coach Kevin O’Connell can squeeze the best from any quarterback. Pairing him with Lock would be no different.
It’s worth noting for full disclosure that Lock did not perform well in New York last season.
Lock’s NFL Resume
Here’s Lock’s list of employers since joining the Denver Broncos six years ago:
- Denver Broncos (2019–2021)
- Seattle Seahawks (2022–2023)
- New York Giants (2024)
Lock fired up the game of his life in December 2023, a reclamation moment for the 27-year-old, and because QB2 has become a premium asset in recent years, he’ll be snatched from the open market before too long.
This was Lock that night as a member of the Seahawks:
The man has always possessed some iteration of the “it factor,” and on that December night versus the then-mighty Philadelphia Eagles, Lock auditioned for the NFL masses.
Some will point to his stinky 10-18 “quarterback record.” If a quarterback’s record were a coherent stat, Ryan Tannehill and Andy Dalton would be better football players than Matthew Stafford. Mitchell Trubisky would also be a better player than Warren Moon and Dan Fouts.
Lock has delivered 34 passing touchdowns to 28 interceptions in 36 career games, with 176.6 passing yards per game. The working theory is that those numbers could improve with O’Connell calling the shots.
No Thanks to Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers, a card-carrying member of Minnesota’s contemporary rumor mill, isn’t quite the same dude from his MVP seasons of 2020 and 2021.
Aaron Rodgers,
EPA+CPOE,
NFL Ranking:
2020 = 1st
2021 = 1st
2022 = 20th
2023 = n/a
2024 = 22nd
Vikings fans would merely hope that Rodgers returned to 2021 form if the rumors came to fruition. Otherwise, the former Green Bay Packer will turn 42 in December and is no longer the nostalgic version of himself.
The fit would also be strange because of McCarthy’s presence on the roster. McCarthy tore his meniscus last summer after Minnesota drafted him in Round 1, and most onlookers expect him to ascend to his rightful QB1 throne before too long. Adding Rodgers, who is about 20 years older than McCarthy, would throw a wrench into McCarthy’s climb to QB1.
We say McCarthy as QB1, Lock as QB2, Rypien as QB3 — and Rodgers to Pittsburgh or retirement.
We’re out on Rodgers; it’s McCarthy’s time.
Other QB2 Options
Minnesota will need a QB2 soon, no matter what, and the team has not yet addressed the spot through nine days of free agency unless Brett Rypien is the guy.
If it’s not Lock, the options have dwindled for McCarthy’s running mate:
- Joe Flacco
- Trey Lance
- Ryan Tannehill
- Carson Wentz
- Jameis Winston
Thankfully, the moment the Vikings sign Lock or one of the men above, most Rodgers rumors will perish.
Lock in Lock.
Garrett Bradbury Chooses New Team
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 MIN 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.
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