The Clues Are Lining Up for J.J. McCarthy’s Future
Remember last season when the Minnesota Vikings found no credible backup behind J.J. McCarthy on the depth chart until late in the summer with Carson Wentz? That won’t happen again. According to The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini, the Vikings will find an accomplished quarterback to accompany McCarthy in Minnesota’s 2026 quarterback room with a setup that sounds like this year’s Indianapolis Colts.
McCarthy isn’t being handed the keys, but Minnesota’s actions keep pointing in the same direction: develop him, protect him — and find a noteworthy contingency plan.
McCarthy didn’t do enough in 2025 to secure the job as undeniably his own in 2026, and quarterback shopping will be on the menu in no time.
The Signals Minnesota Is Sending about McCarthy in 2026
Stop if you’ve heard this before: the Vikings need a quarterback.
McCarthy Not Guaranteed QB1 Job
Before Week 18, Russini wrote, “Quarterback J.J. McCarthy will return to the Minnesota Vikings next season, but that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be the starter. The Vikings were looking for emphatic proof this season that he’s the long-term answer, and because of a series of injuries, they never got it. Over the next few months, sources say, Minnesota plans to explore established options via trade or free agency to strengthen its quarterback room.”
“It’s been a turbulent first two years for McCarthy. He missed his entire rookie season after tearing the meniscus in his right knee in August and was sidelined for seven games in 2025 because of ankle, head and hand injuries. When he was on the field, he struggled with accuracy and consistency, though late-season performances against the Commanders and Cowboys provided some encouragement.”
McCarthy missed his entire rookie season with a torn meniscus, returned in 2025, played terribly in his first six starts while showcasing isolated clutch moments, suffered a high ankle sprain along the way, heated up after six starts, and encountered a concussion and hairline hand fracture before closing out his first year as a starter. It’s been a ride.
Russini continued, “Despite all the quarterback uncertainty and injuries, the Vikings will finish on the fringe of the postseason. A win over the Packers in the season finale would leave them 9-8 and just a half-game out of a playoff spot, a testament to Kevin O’Connell’s culture and the work he and defensive coordinator Brian Flores have put in.”
“Though Minnesota is open to bringing in veteran competition for the 22-year-old, O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have no plans to move on from the quarterback they traded up to draft less than two years ago. McCarthy’s continued development will be a central storyline for the Vikings as they enter an offseason filled with questions surrounding their aging and expensive roster.”
Russini’s reporting, generally speaking, is basically a confirmation of what fans already knew — McCarthy alone as the sole QB1 solution in 2026 probably won’t happen again.
Injury History Too Risky for Team with Leaders Needing to Win Now
Two months ago, the top concern about McCarthy was his performance — because it stunk. He had healed from a high ankle sprain, played somewhat well against the Detroit Lions, and then struggled immensely before a concussion caused him to miss a start at the Seattle Seahawks.
McCarthy returned a week later, putting together his best game of the season against the Dallas Cowboys, but before too long, he would injure his hand against the New York Giants.
Between a torn meniscus, a high ankle sprain, a concussion, and a hairline hand fracture, the guy just isn’t durable. That’s not his fault, but nobody cares about fault when injuries emerge.
Meanwhile, the current leadership regime of Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell will enter Year No. 5 in 2026 with no playoff wins. Two playoff trips, no postseason wins, and two years without postseason tournaments. The Vikings must win now, otherwise Black Monday in January 2027 will arrive at their doorstep and probably cost both men their jobs.
The Free Agent QBs
So, who can the Vikings sign from free agency? That list is huge. It is not glorious, but it is colossal.
- Aaron Rodgers
- Carson Wentz
- Case Keenum
- Daniel Jones (torn Achilles)
- Drew Lock
- Gardner Minshew
- Jake Browning
- Jimmy Garoppolo
- Joe Flacco
- Kenny Pickett
- Malik Willis
- Marcus Mariota
- Mitchell Trubisky
- Russell Wilson
- Teddy Bridgewater
- Tyrod Taylor
- Zach Wilson
And that’s the list before any teams release their current quarterbacks. Minnesota must ask itself if it wants a man who will demand to start — like Rodgers — or a Flacco-type who knows his role as the QB2.
A compromise candidate could be Malik Willis, who would genuinely compete with McCarthy this summer for the QB1 title.
The Trade Options
There will be trade options, too. Quarterbacks like this could be obtained for a draft pick(s):
- Anthony Richardson
- Davis Mills
- Jalen Milroe
- Jameis Winston
- Kyler Murray
- Mac Jones
- Spencer Rattler
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Will Levis
Some have suggested Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson as blockbuster trade options, but those theories feel more like pipe dreams as the offseason begins.
No matter what, though, due to McCarthy’s intense injury woes, a notable extra quarterback will be on the way. That much is clear.
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