‘Voice of Vikings’ Predicts Vikings QB1 in 2026
Perhaps the foremost and most fundamental topic of the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason in 2026 centers on quarterback J.J. McCarthy. That is — will the team roll with as the starter in 2026 or find another passer to replace or challenge McCarthy this summer? According to Paul Allen, the Voice of the Vikings, the prediction is simple: McCarthy will lead the club as QB1 in September.
Paul Allen says McCarthy is the Week 1 guy in 2026, and the Vikings’ whole offseason at quarterback flows from that.
Allen didn’t leave much to the imagination this week, making the case for McCarthy as the main guy next season rather open and shut.
Paul Allen Plants His Flag on McCarthy
The Vikings’ QB1 mystery may already be solved.
Paul Allen Says McCarthy Will Be Vikings Week 1 Starter
Allen, all things considered, is quite adamant that McCarthy will be the guy next September.
He said on his show Monday, “I would make J.J. McCarthy -700 to be the starting QB for the Vikings Week 1 next year. Yeah. -700 minimum. Massive favorite.”
If you’re into moneylines, point spreads, and gambling on the whole, a -700 favorite is the equivalent of an NFL team entering a game as a 13-point favorite. So, in this example, two touchdowns favor McCarthy, per Allen.
First Emphatic Prediction of a Young Offseason
Until Allen’s declaration, most Vikings fans had spent the last several weeks wondering if McCarthy would be the starting quarterback in 2026. Some dove deep into the theoretical, exploring what king’s ransom trades for Joe Burrow or Lamar Jackson might look like. Others have thought on a smaller scale, envisioning Minnesota signing a wily backup like Joe Flacco or Jimmy Garoppolo.
There’s also the angle of the Vikings trading for a young quarterback with high upside. Anthony Richardson, Will Levis, and Mac Jones come to mind.
Yet, per Allen’s musings, McCarthy will be the quarterback, and by implication, anybody traded for or signed in the next few months will be his backup.
The Viking Age‘s Brad Berreman wrote about McCarthy this week, “What is clear is that McCarthy will have some level of competition for the starting job in 2026. Maybe that addition will be a big name who completely renders him to the No. 2 spot on the depth chart, but more likely it’ll be a veteran who can win the starting job in what should be an equal competition.”
“If nothing else, that competition for the starting job will tell the Vikings a lot about McCarthy. He was never tested by legit competition to take his job away last offseason, and the potential role that he had in this season’s results can’t be ignored. Completely giving up on McCarthy would be the wrong path.”
McCarthy will turn 23 this month.
Berreman added, “But an otherwise ready-to-win roster cannot be subjected to the failures of the quarterback again next season, and everyone knows it.”
Fans Dream of Big Fish
On the big fish dreams, Burrow is probably the almighty catch. Last month, he point-blank told reporters that he wasn’t happy with football or his life, sounding dejected and reminiscent of Andrew Luck seven years ago before Luck retired. The Bengals also endured another postseason-less season, meaning that Burrow, in theory, could ask for a trade. In that scenario, the Vikings would be the perfect spot — outside of the AFC and reuniting Burrow with Justin Jefferson from the LSU days.
Regarding Jackson, well, the rumor mill has done Vikings fans’ work for them. The Athletic recently hinted that the Jackson era in Baltimore could be winding down, with Mike Sando naming the Vikings as a potential trade destination.
Other high-profile passers like Justin Herbert and Baker Mayfield have also been linked to Minnesota in the shadows via trade.
A Realistic Bet Hedge
Let’s assume two things: a) Burrow and Jackson are not gettable b) Allen is correct that McCarthy will start in 2026.
That would leave the purple team with affordable options, perhaps quarterbacks with untapped upside. The list could look like this:
- Mac Jones (trade)
- Will Levis (trade)
- Davis Mills (trade)
- Spencer Rattler (trade)
- Anthony Richardson (trade)
- Malik Willis (free agency)
From free agency, the Vikings could also sign a seasoned veteran like Russell Wilson and/or Gardner Minshew and call it good.
But as an early offseason prognostication, Allen says McCarthy owns the QB1 job. Minnesota will not give up on him just because he’s missed 70% of all games due to injury.
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