Meet the “Upside” Options for Vikings at QB
There’s a world, arguably quite far off, where the Minnesota Vikings brush aside the temptation to add a veteran quarterback like Kirk Cousins or Jimmy Garoppolo, saying no to the past in favor of the future at quarterback. That man might have upside that hasn’t been unearthed yet, and if J.J. McCarthy struggles this summer or in the regular season, Minnesota would have a built-in contingency plan with a player who could play well and become the QB1 for the long haul.
The Vikings can chase upside at quarterback for 2026, and Kevin O’Connell’s offense makes several low-risk options intriguing.
Think of it as the Sam Darnold plan all over again. Those guys are out there, at least for exploration. The following is a list of those players available to Minnesota in the 2026 offseason.
Ranking the Vikings’ Best Upside QB Options for 2026
The young guys with perhaps untapped potential.
Mac Jones
The San Francisco 49ers currently employ Jones, and an expensive trade would be required to secure his services. The 49ers probably won’t answer the phone unless a 1st- or 2nd-Round pick is involved in the trade.
But if Minnesota is willing to part with that much draft capital, well, Kevin O’Connell will start his Darnold story all over: a quarterback who has floundered or underachieved for a few seasons before an honest-to-goodness QB1 audition with a team that empowers him. Darnold and Jones share 49ers history.
Jones filled in for eight games in San Francisco last season — and looked marvelous. If he were a free agent in 2026, a team would pay him between $20 million and $25 million per season based on his 2025 performance.
Perhaps O’Connell restarts the Darnold timeline with a Jones trade.
Will Levis
Levis has been left for dead after the Tennessee Titans‘ first overall pick of Cam Ward last year. The former 2nd-Rounder hit injured reserve in 2025 and didn’t play at all.
He’ll need a new home, but he still has traits that could have staying power in the league, including arm strength and mobility. Levis is known for his recklessness, so his next coach will have a tall task ahead of him to fix it.
Davis Mills
Mills filled in admirably for C.J. Stroud down in Houston last season, so much so that Texans fans whispered that he was better than Stroud. And when Houston’s season played out — miserably in the postseason — it probably should’ve played Mills over Stroud because Stroud fired up one of the worst quarterback performances in playoff history.
The only problem in getting Mills is that Houston may keep close hold of him as Stroud insurance, not unlike Mac Jones in San Francisco.
Jalen Milroe
The Seattle Seahawks drafted Milroe in Round 3 last year, just in case Sam Darnold’s faceplant with the Vikings prolonged into his tenure in Seattle. It did not. Seattle won the Super Bowl.
It’s now utterly apparent that Darnold is the Seahawks’ QB1 for the long haul; Milroe may need a new home.
Spencer Rattler
Rattler’s EPA+CPOE this season was comparable to Caleb Williams’. Nobody cared. However, Williams leads a playoff contender in Chicago, while Rattler was benched in favor of Tyler Shough, a former second-round pick by the Saints.
Despite the team outcomes, Rattler’s individual statistics don’t indicate failure, suggesting a capable player who never had a fair opportunity to develop. He deserves another chance to start, provided he’s surrounded by a supportive infrastructure: a solid defense, a reliable running game, and pass-catchers who create separation.
Minnesota could offer that opportunity.
Anthony Richardson
Indianapolis has signaled its intentions at quarterback. After signing veteran Philip Rivers in 2025 and Richardson’s injury-riddled season, the Colts will likely re-sign Daniel Jones. Furthermore, they were reportedly encouraged by rookie Riley Leonard’s Week 18 performance, quickly creating a crowded quarterback room.
Like Levis, Richardson possesses rare arm talent and exceptional athletic potential, but has struggled with consistency. As he approaches his 24th birthday this offseason, the central question is whether O’Connell could mold the raw talent. Maybe, maybe not.
The memory of the 2023 Vikings-Colts game lingers, when O’Connell sought out Richardson postgame to express his belief in him. That interaction was telling. Any potential pursuit of Richardson by Minnesota hinges on O’Connell’s assessment: Is he a reclamation project or a quarterback with untapped long-term potential?
Malik Willis
Willis saw limited action in 2025, with only 58 dropbacks, but his efficiency in those snaps was remarkable. His EPA+CPOE ranked him as the league’s most efficient quarterback. While the small sample size warrants caution, his improved mechanics, timing, and decision-making suggest genuine progress rather than a statistical anomaly, indicating a promising resurgence.
The next step is clear: he needs a legitimate opportunity to compete for a starting role in July and August. Minnesota would be an ideal fit, at least for the chance to compete.
His contract should fall in the $15–25 million annual range, a relatively small sum in today’s quarterback market. The move would require no draft capital, no asset depletion, and no long-term commitment if it doesn’t pan out, making it a worthwhile risk. Willis is the one guy the Vikings could get free of trading draft capital — who could morph into the QB1 for the long term.
Zach Wilson
Probably the least inspiring option on the list because Wilson couldn’t even earn a QB2 job in Miami, Wilson earned a mention because of his youth — he’s 26 — and his scouting report leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft. The man should have the tools of an elite quarterback, but he’s never consistently brandished them.
Wilson only made the cut because once upon a time, Sam Darnold seemed like a total lost cause, too. In fact, Wilson’s reputation now is akin to Darnold’s in 2021-2022.
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