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There Is Only One Real Path for J.J. McCarthy This Offseason
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- There Is Only One Real Path for J.J. McCarthy This Offseason
Matt Marton
After missing his rookie season with a torn meniscus, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy did not set the world on fire in his first season as a starter. He ended 2025 as the NFL's worst quarterback by EPA+CPOE and missed seven games due to a bevy of injuries . Accordingly, McCarthy and the Vikings have one clear path this offseason: allow the man to compete for his QB1 job with someone else.
Minnesota can still bet on McCarthy's talent, but the roster needs a sturdier floor than 2025 provided, making a credible veteran addition the next step.
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Minnesota won't trade McCarthy or put him on the back burner, but another quarterback will be in the mix, rest assured.
Veteran Add-On Becomes Vikings' Only QB Insurance
McCarthy no longer has a stranglehold on the QB1 job.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy directs the offense at the line of scrimmage midway through Dec. 14, 2025, during first-half action at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, as Minnesota faced the Dallas Cowboys. McCarthy surveyed the defense and communicated adjustments as the Vikings worked through an early road test. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III–Imagn Images.
The Word for ESPN
Plugged into the Vikings, ESPN's Kevin Seifert updated the state of play at quarterback this week.
He wrote , "McCarthy's performance, when he wasn't missing seven games because of three separate injuries, was at times so concerning that it was reasonable to suggest he should be replaced after one season."
"The more likely outcome is the Vikings having a renewed interest in adding a starting-caliber veteran to pair and possibly compete with McCarthy, according to league sources. That potential move would create a more robust quarterback room than the one that doomed them in 2025."
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A "starting-caliber" veteran basically means McCarthy insurance. And that insurance is mandatory, as McCarthy has missed 70% of Vikings games since joining the team in 2024.
If general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell want to keep their jobs beyond the 2026 season, they cannot limp into 2026 with backup quarterbacks like Sam Howell , Carson Wentz , Max Brosmer , John Wolford , and Desmond Ridder . More is required.
Kevin O'Connell Waffles on McCarthy as the QB1
On the same day that the Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers to close out 2025 and obtain a 9-8 record, a reporter asked O'Connell if McCarthy would be his starting quarterback in September.
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This is how O'Connell replied : "I think every year, you're coming back to build a team throughout the offseason, throughout the draft, leading into training camp. I think he's improved throughout the season. I think he's grown, like a lot of young quarterbacks do. Today was his tenth start. I can't wait to work with him in the offseason and absolutely look forward to the continued development and improvement."
"I'm excited about where he's ending the season and know that there's some things we can really dive into as a group, J.J. and myself. I look forward to the challenge of being the best version of myself for not only J.J., but this entire team."
A blunt "yes" would've stemmed all offseason quarterback speculation. But O'Connell did not say yes. He pivoted to an answer about how offseasons work.
And in the summer of 2024, a few months after McCarthy was drafted, O'Connell named McCarthy his franchise quarterback, even following McCarthy's season-ending meniscus tear. Fast forward to the 2026 offseason, and there is no clear-cut label for McCarthy as the franchise quarterback heading into 2026.
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A Seasoned Veteran Presence?
So, who joins the fun with McCarthy? It could be a savvy veteran who knows his role as the QB2 but is ready to lead the franchise if McCarthy succumbs to another injury.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell exchanges postgame handshakes with Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo midway through Dec. 10, 2023, at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. The brief interaction followed the final whistle as players and coaches crossed paths on the field after a tightly contested matchup. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee–USA TODAY Sports.
In that scenario, the list of options could look like this:
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Carson Wentz
Some will see those names and groan, but those are the stakes if Minnesota signs a passer merely to be there "just in case" of a McCarthy injury.
… Or an Honest-to-Goodness QB1 Competition at Training Camp
What about quarterbacks who could vie with McCarthy for the QB1 job ? That list is more fun. Adofo-Mensah could add these players via free agency or trade to push McCarthy to the limit and perhaps steal his job:
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Anthony Richardson
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis waits near the sideline before entering action midway through Sep. 22, 2024, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, as the Titans prepared to face the Green Bay Packers. Levis stood ready during first-half sequences while coaches managed personnel and situational rotations. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts–Imagn Images.
Murray is probably the top candidate to monitor, as he blends first-overall pick upside along with the likelihood that the Arizona Cardinals trade or release him. Jones, too, would make sense, but it's unclear if the San Francisco 49ers are in a hurry to trade him due to Brock Purdy 's injury history.
Overall, a new, semi-notable quarterback will be a Viking in the next 2-4 months. You can set a clock to it.
