The Minnesota Vikings ' quarterback situation could be heading toward a surprising conclusion, with Carson Wentz reportedly expected to enter the 2026 season as Kyler Murray's backup ahead of former first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.
According to Alec Lewis of The Athletic, the current expectation is that Wentz will secure the No. 2 quarterback job. That would leave McCarthy, who was selected 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, as the Vikings' third-string quarterback.
Lewis made it clear that his expectation is based on both conversations and what he has seen from the quarterbacks throughout the offseason.
"My expectation right now, and this is just based on conversations, but also what I've seen, is that Carson Wentz is definitely going to be the backup for the Minnesota Vikings," Lewis said.
If that becomes reality, the bigger question may not be who wins the backup job, but what happens to McCarthy afterward.
McCarthy entered Minnesota with significant expectations after the Vikings traded up to select him as their quarterback of the future. However, his development has not followed a linear path. Now, potentially being pushed down to third on the depth chart would represent another significant setback for a player the organization once viewed as a potential franchise quarterback.
Lewis acknowledged that McCarthy's reaction to the situation could ultimately become a major storyline.
"That would then lead you down the road of JJ McCarthy as the number three quarterback," Lewis said. "How okay is he going to be with that? I think that's a very valid question."
That question becomes even more important given that McCarthy may already have outside interest.
According to NFL analyst Benjamin Allbright , the Vikings have received calls from other teams regarding McCarthy, with those teams showing "varying degrees of interest." While that does not necessarily mean Minnesota is actively shopping its former first-round pick, the calls add another layer to an increasingly complicated quarterback situation.
If Wentz does officially win the backup role, Minnesota could be forced to decide whether keeping McCarthy as its third quarterback is the best option for both parties.
There is also the possibility that another team could view McCarthy as a reclamation project and offer Minnesota an opportunity to move on. The Vikings would have to determine whether the return is enough to part with a quarterback they invested significant draft capital in just two years ago.
For McCarthy, the situation is undoubtedly more complicated. Accepting a third-string role could mean limited opportunities to prove he can become the quarterback Minnesota once envisioned. At the same time, pushing for a change could create an uncomfortable situation with the organization.
