If the Minnesota Vikings strike out on Daniel Jones or Sam Darnold for QB2 duty during free agency, a blast from the past could evidently be on deck.
Carson Wentz Enters Vikings Rumor Mill
He’s Carson Wentz, the latest and greatest theory from The Athletic as a prospective QB2 for the Vikings in 2025.
Zack Rosenblatt from The Athletic wrote Tuesday, “If Jones doesn’t get a starting shot elsewhere I think he’ll return to the Vikings as a potential stopgap until McCarthy is ready. But if not him, I still anticipate the Vikings adding a playable veteran at the position — I considered both Wentz and Jimmy Garoppolo here. I went with Wentz because, to me, he fits the Darnold mold of a former highly drafted quarterback seeking redemption.”
Most Vikings fans expect Daniel Jones to earn the QB2 title in 2025, with Darnold likely finding a new team via free agency and J.J. McCarthy ascending to QB1 accordingly.
“Wentz was an MVP frontrunner in 2017 before tearing his ACL. He had moments in both Indianapolis and Washington, but stints with both teams ended poorly,” Rosenblatt added.
“He’s been humbled as a backup the past two seasons, learning behind Matthew Stafford and Patrick Mahomes and from both Sean McVay and Andy Reid. If there’s a coach who can get something out of Wentz, it’s Kevin O’Connell.”
Nearly every backup quarterback with some upside gets linked to the Vikings and O’Connell these days, primarily because of the coach’s work with men like Darnold, Joshua Dobbs, and Nick Mullens. Over the last three years, O’Connell has gained a “quarterback whisperer” reputation, with Minnesota as a spot that can rekindle a fledgling passer’s career.
In 2024, the Vikings signed Darnold for ten million bucks, a fair price for a “bridge quarterback” assignment. But Darnold assumed QB1 responsibilities when the aforementioned McCarthy tore his meniscus last August. Darnold totally thrived for 16 games, slicing and dicing opposing defenses for 4,319 passing yards, 36 total touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
Darnold garnered fringe MVP attention for four months before capitulating in the season’s final two games against the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams. His market value dipped as a result, so much so that Minnesota could not even apply the franchise tag this week and trade him to a willing partner.
With Darnold’s future uncertain — the betting market expects him to sign elsewhere next week — a player like Wentz could do the trick as QB2 if Daniel Jones doesn’t re-sign.
Wentz started his career with the Eagles in 2016, firing off four consecutive promising seasons until 2020. Philadelphia drafted Jalen Hurts that year, and he later took over the QB1 job.
Since 2021, Wentz has played for four teams in four seasons and has not caught on as a consistent starter despite 26 starts.
Maybe things would be different in Minnesota with O’Connell.
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 Vikings 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.