4 Options for the Vikings at Backup QB
On Tuesday morning, it became official that Daniel Jones would be leaving the Minnesota Vikings.
The 2019 first-round pick is signing a one-year, $14 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts, leaving the Vikings with a void at the backup QB position after Nick Mullens also left the team to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Here is a look at four options for the Vikings at the backup QB spot now that Jones and Mullens are gone. No, none of them are Aaron Rodgers.
Mac Jones
Could the Jaguars and Vikings simply swap backups this season? Mullens headed to Jacksonville on a two-year deal, meaning Mac Jones very likely will be headed elsewhere in 2025.
Jones began his career in an impossible situation with the New England Patriots trying to be the successor to Tom Brady with a roster that never quite put it all together in terms of talent. As a result, Jones was traded to Jacksonville last spring, and the Patriots selected Drake Maye with the third overall pick.
Jones spent the year largely backing up Trevor Lawrence, but he did start seven games for the Jaguars, throwing for 1672 yards, eight touchdowns, and eight interceptions. The start to Jones’ career is somewhat similar to Sam Darnold’s, and now that Jones is heading into free agency, could Kevin O’Connell make him the latest entry into his QB rehabilitation experiment?
Jameis Winston
Jameis Winston is not only one of the most electrifying personalities in the NFL. Every time he steps on the field, multiple “hold your breath” moments happen, making for some very entertaining football.
Of course, Winston likely shouldn’t be on the field very often at this point after a 2-5 record as starter in 2024 along with 2121 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. However it would be fascinating to see what O’Connell could do with the gunslinger in his QB room.
Marcus Mariota
Marcus Mariota has not started a game since his 2022 stint with the Atlanta Falcons, but over the past couple seasons, he has been in QB rooms with young players such as Jalen Hurts and Jayden Daniels.
This season, Mariota appeared in three games and threw for 364 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions while completing a very impressive 77.3% of his passes. If the Vikings want to get a veteran in their QB room who has experience sitting behind younger QBs, Mariota could be a strong option.
Carson Wentz
It has been a steep fall from grace for Carson Wentz since he finished third in MVP voting during 2017, but this season, he got to sit behind Patrick Mahomes and learn from head coach Andy Reid in 2024.
We haven’t gotten to see much of Wentz on the field over the past few seasons as he has started just two games since 2023, but that should mean that his price tag isn’t overly expensive.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference.
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