There’s a Curveball QB Option for the Vikings
After Brian Flores is confirmed to return for a fourth season in charge of the Vikings’ defense, the focus drifts to the quarterback room. Minnesota employs J.J. McCarthy, but is widely expected to welcome competition for its young passer this offseason.
Folks speculate about names like Kyler Murray and Mac Jones — for good reason — but let’s not forget the man that has already been in the building: Carson Wentz.
At his season-ending presser last month, Kevin O’Connell emphasized when asked about the QB room, “I absolutely want a competitive situation.”
After his sophomore struggles, going into the season with McCarthy as the only real option for a second consecutive year would be more than questionable. Last year, the Vikings relied on Sam Howell as a fallback option until realizing he couldn’t provide the desired insurance.
Then, Howell was traded and Wentz was acquired via free agency. Of course, it was too late to entirely learn the offense and build a rapport with the receivers and the coaching staff. A couple of weeks later, the Vikings had to start Wentz following McCarthy’s ankle injury. A significant shoulder injury required Wentz to undergo season-ending surgery after five games and the Vikings turned back to McCarthy.
In his five starts, Wentz completed 65.1% of his passes for 1,216 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions. He was dealing with the same problems McCarthy did from a protection standpoint and he had a struggling ground game to work with, as Aaron Jones was available in just one of those five contests.
Wentz’s play was more on the boring side, especially compared to his young counterpart, who was chasing big plays all year long. The veteran, meanwhile, focused more on short passing, prioritizing safe throws and avoiding costly mistakes. Wentz still ranked in the middle of the pack in average depth of target and turnover-worthy throws, while McCarthy ranked near the top in both categories. Of course, McCarthy also had more so-called big-time throws.
The offense was even more efficient with Wentz under center. In his five games, the Vikings had one positive outlier (48 points against Cincinnati in the Isaiah Rodgers legacy game) and one negative outlier (ten points in Wentz’s final game of the season against the Chargers). The other three games resulted in 21, 21, and 22 points. For comparison, the Vikings failed to score 20 points in six of McCarthy’s ten games.
Among 40 QBs with at least 200 plays, Wentz ranked 25th in EPA/play, while McCarthy was 37th, only better than rookie Cam Ward and Cleveland’s Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.
Running it back with Wentz would bring several advantages. For one, he is already familiar with the offense, having operated it multiple times. After another offseason in the building, that level of familiarity would rise. Given that the short preparation time appeared to be a problem for Wentz, who was running a simplified version of the offense, there could be some hidden potential.
Another benefit is that Wentz wouldn’t truly threaten McCarthy if the young passer takes a step forward in Year 3. At the end of the day, barring any major Joe Burrow or Justin Herbert sweepstakes, an improved McCarthy would be the best outcome for the Vikings and it might be worth pursuing that for another season.
Wentz was arguably the best Vikings quarterback in 2025 and he did so on short notice, with an offensive line that was injured worse than McCarthy’s, a struggling ground game that didn’t improve until later in the season, and a badly injured shoulder.
There are certainly splashier options on the market, and names like Mac Jones or Kyler Murray will generate more buzz. But the Vikings don’t necessarily need a headline move — they need stability and insurance.
Wentz already knows the system (and his knowledge will improve in Year 2), has starting experience, and could provide exactly the kind of steady backup play the Vikings need. It may not be the flashiest solution, but it might be one of the more practical ones.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
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