Vikings QB Now Out for the Year
The Minnesota Vikings are back at it for Week 9, preparing to take on the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday. And to start the week, quarterback Carson Wentz was not at practice.
Carson Wentz quarterbacked the Minnesota Vikings for five games, and heading into Week 9, there’s a new development about his status in Eagan.
Only J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer represented quarterback participation on Monday, an odd development after Wentz’s ironman streak in the last six weeks. Later, the worst was revealed for Wentz.
Vikings QB Carson Wentz to IR
The man was broken during a Thursday Night Football beating.
That’s a Wrap for Wentz
Wentz wasn’t seen at practice on Monday, turning heads because he’s the QB2. Then, the tweets hit hot and heavy.
“QB Carson Wentz will undergo surgery on his left shoulder and miss the rest of the 2025 season, sources tell The Insiders. Wentz gutted it out as long as he could. But he was in severe pain Thursday night in L.A. and now will get the shoulder fixed,” NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero tweeted.
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis added, “Carson Wentz came in on two weeks notice, was thrown into the fire, became seriously injured, and played through that for weeks. The Chargers night was extremely difficult to watch, frankly. It was almost scary. Couldn’t believe he was still in. Dude is as tough as they come.”
Wentz may have gone out on his terms — like a boxer in the center of the ring on the mat.
NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport also noted, “Details on Carson Wentz: In the first half of the London game, Wentz suffered a dislocation that tore his labrum and fractured the socket, per The Insiders. He gutted out 2.5 more games for the Vikings with a big stabilizing brace, while JJ McCarthy (high-ankle) recovered.”
Path Fully Cleared for J.J. McCarthy to Start
Wentz will not return in 2025, meaning the here and now of McCarthy’s return to the lineup has arrived. There is no other veteran presence to support him; that was Wentz.
McCarthy suffered the high ankle sprain in Week 2 during a loss to the Atlanta Falcons and has battled valiantly to reclaim his job. In the meantime, Wentz helped the Vikings accrue a 2-3 record, and the man was totally battered, pummeled, and ravaged by opposing defenders.
He basically served as a bridge for McCarthy to return to full health, and Vikings fans will eternally admire Wentz’s toughness. It’s now legendary.
Max Brosmer in a Familiar Place
Meanwhile, the Vikings must nominate a QB2 for the remaining 10 games, with all signs pointing to Brosmer for that assignment. The undrafted rookie from the University of Minnesota has seen the field thrice, all in a pretty meaningless capacity.
But those meaningless marching orders are gone.
If Brosmer plays again, it will likely be in relief of McCarthy. Fans will cross their fingers that McCarthy’s injury resume slows down. Otherwise, it’s Brosmer time. The man performed quite well in three preseason games.
The Need for Another QB3
Moreover, the Vikings will sign another quarterback before too long. There’s a small chance that the newcomer is an undrafted small-school QB3 or QB4 type who no one has heard of.
The most likely option is Desmond Ridder, who signed with the purple team for a couple of weeks when Wentz initially suffered the shoulder ailment. These free agents also remain available:
- C.J. Beathard
- Jeff Driskel
- Jake Fromm
- Bryce Perkins
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson
- John Wolford
No matter what, another passer will be signed.
The Athletic on Wentz
Alec Lewis added more details to Wentz’s IR trip, “The Vikings signed Wentz two weeks before the season, once the staff deemed Sam Howell — whom they had acquired in the spring — not to be a suitable backup for McCarthy.”
“Wentz won his first start in Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, then lost the next game in Dublin against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Following that performance, he was unable to play golf with his teammates in London because of his injuries.”
Minnesota is nearly a 10-point underdog this weekend in Detroit.
“He led the Vikings to a comeback win in Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns, then lost the last two games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Chargers. Now, the Vikings will likely turn back to McCarthy, who has only played in two of 24 regular-season games since he was drafted with the No. 10 pick in 2024. O’Connell and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown have spent considerable time with McCarthy in recent weeks,” Lewis added.
“They’ve wanted to troubleshoot some of his mechanics to give him the best chance at success. His return is likely to come against the Lions, one of the better defenses in the NFL.”
Wentz will be a free agent in March. It is unclear if the Chargers outing was his final NFL game.
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