Vikings Named a Landing Spot for Yet Another Reclamation QB
Looking for the next Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones regarding the Minnesota Vikings’ 2026 interests? CBS Sports has you covered, serving up Minnesota as a possible landing spot for New York Jets passer Justin Fields, a player recently benched.
The Vikings have been named a landing spot for yet another reclamation quarterback, adding another twist to the team’s long-term roster speculation.
Fields could be on the move in the offseason, and the Vikings made the cut as a theoretical destination.
Justin Fields, Step Right Up to the Vikings’ University of Quarterback Reclamation.
Fields hasn’t really worked out anywhere since 2021.
CBS Sports Named Vikings as a Justin Fields Destination
Minnesota actually headlined Bryan DeArdo’s list of Fields’ destinations — the very first one on his ladder.
“Minnesota makes sense on multiple fronts. In addition to the likelihood of being in the market for a backup quarterback, the Vikings may be looking for competition to help push starter J.J. McCarthy, who has struggled to live up to his early season promise since coming back from his ankle injury,” DeArdo explained.
“The Vikings also make sense given the history Kevin O’Connell has had with former first-round picks. Sam Darnold, for example, parlayed his one season with O’Connell into a long-term opportunity with the Seahawks. It’s possible that he could have a similar impact on Fields, who has shown flashes of his potential throughout his five-year career.”
Most fans thought the draft pick of J.J. McCarthy would get Minnesota out of retread quarterback conversations. No such luck in November 2025.
A Summer Battle with J.J. McCarthy?
Where would Fields fit? Well, if McCarthy’s performance and consistency do not stabilize in the season’s final seven games, McCarthy and Fields would duke it out next July and August, per the DeArdo plan, plus a possible side dish of Max Brosmer, the Vikings’ current QB2.
Any and all 2026 quarterback plans for Minnesota revolve around McCarthy’s finish in 2025. If he matures on the fly and looks the part of a capable starter, Fields or a different veteran can be the QB2 next year. Suppose McCarthy isn’t any good at all; Fields could compete for the 2026 QB1 job.
Fields’ Numbers in 2025
To reiterate, Fields has been benched in favor of Tyrod Taylor. He may not start again in 2025.
But if New York had not benched the speedy passer, Fields was on pace for this end-of-season 17-game stat line:
— 2,378 Passing Yards
— 723 Rushing Yards
— 21 Total TDs
— 2 INTs
— 62.7% Completion
Per EPA+CPOE, a stat that measures wins added per quarterback, Fields ranks 31st in the NFL among 33 qualifying signal-callers.
In other words, he is terrible in New York.
Vikings Will Need Some Sort of QB2 Next Year
While it might be hard to comprehend a trade for Fields — the Jets would have to eat over $20 million if they released him before June 1st, 2026 — Minnesota will need some semblance of a competent QB2 next season. And that’s even if McCarthy turns a corner soon to resemble a franchise quarterback.
O’Connell doesn’t seem to love Max Brosmer as his QB2; he would’ve played him at the Los Angeles Chargers a few weeks ago when Carson Wentz played through an injury.
Therefore, a quarterback in the same vein as Wentz — like Gardner Minshew or Jimmy Garoppolo — is probably on his way to Minnesota next March.
More Fields Suitors
DeArdo also named the Baltimore Ravens as a landing spot: “Fields would give Baltimore another option behind Lamar Jackson in the event the two-time league MVP has another injury that would cause him to miss time. The Ravens’ current backup is Tyler Huntley, a former Pro Bowler who led Baltimore to a season-saving win over the Bears back in Week 8.”
“Like Huntley and Jackson, Fields is exceptional with his feet, which should make him a natural fit inside Baltimore’s offense. Like Huntley, one would expect that offensive coordinator Todd Monken wouldn’t have to make too many changes to the game for Fields, whose 1,143 yards rushing during the 2022 season are second to only Jackson’s 1,206 yards during the 2019 season in terms of single-season rushing yards by a quarterback.”
And the Chargers as a Justin Herbert backup: “Los Angeles will make a lot of sense if Trey Lance doesn’t re-sign this offseason. Jim Harbaugh is familiar with Fields’ game having coached against him during his time at Michigan.”
“In 2019, Fields helped lead Ohio State to a 56-21 win over Harbaugh’s Wolverines. Fields enjoyed one of his finest games as Buckeye that day, throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns. His performance was complemented by the running of current Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, who rumbled for 211 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries.”
DeArdo also named the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers as homes for Fields. Fields worked for the Steelers in 2024.
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