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What Each Potential New Vikings QB Means for J.J. McCarthy’s Future
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- What Each Potential New Vikings QB Means for J.J. McCarthy’s Future
Jeffrey Becker
What the Minnesota Vikings should do at quarterback for the 2026 season (and beyond) is one of the biggest talking points across the NFL right now. Any QB who could be on the move is being weighed as a potential new Vikings QB, which has an impact on JJ McCarthy's future in Minnesota.
What a New QB Would Mean for McCarthy
With the way the 2025 season played out, the idea of going into the 2026 season with just JJ McCarthy and Max Brosmer at QB — the only two currently contracted — would seem like madness.
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The well-publicized mistakes made during the last season played a huge role in former Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah losing his job. It's not a great offseason to be looking for a QB. There are slim pickings in free agency and little to be excited about in the draft.
Do the Vikings still envision McCarthy as the future of the franchise? The decision the team makes in bringing in a new QB will tell us a lot about what they are thinking. I will go through each potential new Vikings QB for the 2026 season and what their arrival in Minnesota will mean for McCarthy.
Carson Wentz
Oct 5, 2025; Tottenham, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) walks off the field after their win against the Cleveland Browns in an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Carson Wentz played in five games for the Vikings in 2025, with the team winning two of them. The Vikings looked more explosive with Wentz, but he played the last couple of games with an injured shoulder. Health-dependent, Wentz is worth bringing back as a QB3 option, but the Vikings would need to add someone else of note, too.
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Kyler Murray
If there's one QB whose introduction probably spells the demise of McCarthy, that is Kyler Murray. The confirmation that the Arizona Cardinals would release him came on Tuesday.
Available for a low price in the first year, Murray should have plenty of suitors. Minnesota would be an enticing prospect, but he won't be coming to play second fiddle to McCarthy. Murray signing in Minnesota would signal a shift away from McCarthy.
Tua Tagovailoa
Another starting-level QB, but one who comes off a rough season, Tua Tagovailoa is expected to hit free agency. I think this would be more of a QB competition than Murray, and one McCarthy might stand a chance of winning.
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Geno Smith
Geno Smith had a rough year in Las Vegas , but if he can return to his form from the previous year in Seattle , the Vikings can be a playoff team with him under center. Smith has spent time as a backup in his career and shouldn't shy away from a QB competition.
He would be a good veteran QB that McCarthy needs to beat out if he is going to be the guy in Minnesota. Smith makes a lot of sense as a short-term contingency plan if McCarthy falters again in 2026.
Mac Jones
The San Francisco 49ers are perfectly happy with Mac Jones as QB2, especially with how many games he had to play last year because of an injury to Brock Purdy .
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An enticing trade package would have to be put together to get Jones out of the Bay Area. You only do that if you want Jones to be your starting QB. It feels unlikely, but if it were to happen, it would be a definite sign that the Vikings are through with McCarthy.
Malik Willis
Dec 27, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) throws a pass during the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images.
Malik Willis has started only three games over the last two seasons in Green Bay, but when he has been called upon (including stepping in during games), he has impressed.
He would be a great QB2, but with the lack of quality QBs on the market, he has played his way into a strong position for a decent payday. If you're bringing in Willis this year, he and the team probably want him to be the starter.
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Kirk Cousins
If the Vikings think McCarthy needs to step back for a year behind a veteran — probably what Kevin O'Connell envisioned last year — then Kirk Cousins could be the answer. Maybe Cousins has another competitive year in him, and McCarthy has to go back under the learning tree and try to fix the mechanics that troubled him so much last year out of the limelight.
Do the Vikings really want to turn back to Captain Kirk, though?
Aaron Rodgers
The other option for McCarthy to sit back for a year is 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers. The man long hated by the Vikings fanbase comes to Minnesota for one last ride? I feel like this only comes on the radar if Minnesota fails to strike a deal with a host of other QBs.
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Daniel Jones
Sep 21, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) in the pocket during the first quarter at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
The Indianapolis Colts announced Tuesday that the transition tag had been applied to Daniel Jones — they have the chance to match any offer made by another team. It will be expensive and take a long-term commitment to bring Jones in, which again relegates McCarthy to backup.
Jones is too expensive for the Vikings right now, so I don't see this one happening.
The Rest
There's a host of other veteran QBs who the Vikings could look to as a QB2 who can still keep the season alive if McCarthy falters. The likes of Russell Wilson , Marcus Mariota , Tyrod Taylor , Gardner Minshew , and Jimmy Garoppolo may not be the most exciting prospects, but it would signal that the Vikings are happy to go with McCarthy but want a bit of insurance.
This is scraping the barrel because the Vikings couldn't strike a deal with the better options. It signals the best news for McCarthy regarding his playing prospects in 2026.
