The Vikings’ Quarterback Overhaul Gets Underway with Trio of Decisions
The Vikings’ quarterback spot would look considerably more optimistic had things gone differently with J.J. McCarthy.
Instead of a season-long coronation, Mr. McCarthy proved that wearing the crown can indeed be heavy. He battled ineffectiveness alongside injury — sometimes those two things got mixed together — as Minnesota has stumbled toward an 8-8 record. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and HC Kevin O’Connell now stare down a trio of moves to begin getting the position back into respectability.
The Vikings’ Quarterback Overhaul Begins with 3 Names
Collectively, Minnesota’s QB spot has been subpar. Tallying up all of the numbers for the various passers leaves one with the distinct impression that Minnesota has been held back by the game’s most important position.
All of McCarthy, Max Brosmer, and Carson Wentz have had the chance to lead the team. Backup running back Cam Akers even tossed a pass, an overseas touchdown to Josh Oliver. The team completion percentage is coming in at 61.1% as the team has gained 2,608 yards through the air. The touchdown passes come in at 18 while the interceptions come in at 21. The total passer rating is a benchable 74.3.
In short, nowhere close to good enough. How does the team pivot going into 2026?
Locked into coming back are J.J. McCarthy alongside Max Brosmer. The former is ultra likely to see competition added for the QB1 job. The latter is very likely to see competition added to secure a roster spot as one of the depth passers.
What remains to be seen is what happens with the other trio of passers in the Vikings’ orbit: Carson Wentz, John Wolford, and Brett Rypien.
Of the three, Mr. Wentz offers the most on-field appeal (and it’s not particularly close). He’s not close to the best version of himself, the one that challenged for league MVP back in 2017. Some years have passed since then, which is to say nothing of picking up various injuries. Still, he allows the offense to at least be average.
There’s then Wolford (referred to as a “psycho” for his preparation) alongside Rypien (a coach in shoulder pads). Both are in town due to their capacity to help in practice and with a tablet in hand during games. Neither is looked at as a legitimate option to earn snaps in a real game.
While there’s ample merit in building up formidable passer depth, there is such a thing as too many cooks in the kitchen. An NFL practice field only has so many reps to go around to the various arms, a truth that’s especially applicable when there’s a still-unproven 22-year-old quarterback looking to turn into a franchise player.
In other words, there’s probably only room for one — maximum two — of the trio of depth passers for the 2026 offseason.
As things stand, the best bet could be to see Mr. Wolford kept around. He has a history with O’Connell and Wes Phillips going back to the Rams Super Bowl run. He got added at a time when Rypien could have been welcomed back. Wolford understands his role as a QB3 or QB4 who is employed due to intangibles.
And while Wentz is a better player (by far), there’s limited upside to Wentz in Minnesota. He’s a capable QB2 but not someone who will push the Vikings toward a winning season. Best to let him seek employment elsewhere as McCarthy gets pushed by someone with a higher ceiling.
The Vikings’ quarterback spot could thus venture through the early days of 2026 with McCarthy, Brosmer, and Wolford being leaned on. Journeying into March can then involve going big-game hunting (within reason, of course).
There’s some Malik Willis hype out there alongside mentions of Kirk Cousins, Mac Jones, and Kyler Murray. Goodness, the Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert theories are circulating, too. The curious internet traveller could surely scrounge up other theories for the Vikings’ quarterback spot. Until notified otherwise, assume that Mr. McCarthy remains the long-term plan with the only caveat being that competition will get added.
When one isn’t worrying about McCarthy — darn near a full-time job for some in Minnesota — there has been some Vikings chatter about Jalen Nailor, Brian Flores, and Minnesota’s most lucrative cut candidates.
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