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4 Minnesota Vikings QB Options for 2026 to Challenge JJ McCarthy
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- 4 Minnesota Vikings QB Options for 2026 to Challenge JJ McCarthy
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The Minnesota Vikings took a gamble this offseason, letting Sam Darnold walk and turning down a pursuit of Aaron Rodgers to go all-in on J.J. McCarthy . It was a bet on the first-round pick whom the organization traded up twice for, with the coaching staff confident McCarthy would thrive in his first season as a starting quarterback.
Thus far, the results have been nothing short of disastrous. Even in a quarterback-friendly scheme with a great supporting cast of skill players, McCarthy has statistically been one of the most inaccurate quarterbacks ever. While he'll get to finish out the season, Minnesota needs to look at challengers for the starting job next year.
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Let's dive into a few potential Vikings quarterback options for 2026.
Mac Jones , Trade
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There should be no question that Mac Jones would be an excellent fit in the Vikings offense. He gets the football out quickly and accurately ( 79.1 percent On-Target rate ). As he's demonstrated with Kyle Shanahan, Jones plays within the structure of the offense and excels at converting on throws behind the sticks (85.6 percent completion rate and 108.6 QB rating). The question is, would the San Francisco 49ers be willing to move him? Shanahan loves Jones, and he only carries a $3.98 million cap hit in 2026. Unless Minnesota is willing to give up a Day 2 pick for Jones, it's hard to see the 49ers moving off him.
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Read More: New York Jets QB Options Outside of the 2026 NFL Draft
Anthony Richardson, Trade
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Fans in Minnesota might hate the idea of Anthony Richardson being the Vikings quarterback in 2026. After all, the former fourth overall pick has an alarming 50.6 percent completion rate on 350 attempts. With that said, Kevin O'Connell is a huge fan of Richardson. Minnesota tried desperately to trade up for him in the 2023 NFL Draft but couldn't do it. Last season, O'Connell had a private moment with Richardson where he encouraged the young quarterback and made it clear he'll have a long career in the NFL. Indianapolis could be willing to move off him for a Day 3 pick. At that price, given the physical talent he still offers and the confidence O'Connell would have that he could fix the young quarterback, the fit makes sense.
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Marcus Mariota , Free Agent
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Maybe NFL free agency is the preferred option for Minnesota, especially if they want an older quarterback who wouldn't necessarily be a long-term threat to replace McCarthy. Marcus Mariota should be considered. He's not flashy, but Mariota has a 68.5 percent completion rate, 11-5 TD-INT ratio and a 100.1 QB rating in 10 games over the last two seasons with the Washington Commanders . That comes with an 86.3 QBR. The 32-year-old would provide McCarthy with legitimate competition, while allowing the Vikings coaching staff to give their young quarterback the early edge in training camp next summer because of his familiarity with the offense.
Geno Smith , Trade
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We'd like to throw out one more option for Minnesota. Given how things have worked out with the Las Vegas Raiders this season, a split from the team seems to be on the table in 2026. Making him a cap casualty is an option, but a trade creates $26 million in cap space for Las Vegas. Smith would be walking into a dream situation in Minnesota, having one of the league's best receiving corps and a quarterback whisperer as his play-caller. He would almost certainly win the starting battle over McCarthy, but Minnesota could use him for one season and then make a decision on McCarthy after that.
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