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The Vikings Are Delaying a Big Decision … Again
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- The Vikings Are Delaying a Big Decision … Again
Jamie Sabau
Quarterback is the most important position in the sport. It’s also one of the most important positions in collective sports. We’re also tired of hearing that. Every person who watches football for more than 3 games will hear that at least 100 times. And this is also a position that the Vikings just can’t get right. Which, well, we also know.
The Vikings are still searching for the true heir to Fran Tarkenton. Countless head coaches and general managers have tried, and in multiple avenues. Trade for one, sign one in free agency, draft one early, take a flyer on one later in the Draft. Safe to say neither has panned out.
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Some have produced great seasons, like Randall Cunningham, Brett Favre, and Sam Darnold . Others brought stability to the position for some time, like Daunte Culpepper and Kirk Cousins . But none were able to take us to the promised land.
History Shows the Cost of Waiting on Quarterback Calls
Since the 2011 CBA between the NFL and NFLPA, having a good quarterback in a rookie contract has been the meta. QBs have always dominated early draft picks, but that dominance has skyrocketed in the last 15 years. In this period, the Vikings have used three first-round picks on quarterbacks.
Christian Ponder was almost an instant bust. Teddy Bridgewater started well, but a nasty knee injury derailed his career. And J.J. McCarthy lives somewhere in between.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) is pictured during a Dec 10, 2015 road game versus the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. The primetime matchup was tightly contested before Arizona secured a narrow 23-20 victory late, handing Minnesota a difficult defeat. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
Like 99% of young quarterbacks, he is inconsistent. His lows were very low, but he also had some darn great moments. The bigger problem is that we don’t know enough. Injuries are a part of this, as they should be, but he does not have an injury problem.
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And I know it’s weird to say that about a player with just 10 starts in two years. However, injuries are also very random, and neither one of his is connected in any form. His torn meniscus had nothing to do with someone falling on his ankle and spraining it. And neither caused him to hit his hand on someone’s helmet during a throw.
The plan in 2024 was clear. They signed Sam Darnold, whom they saw as a capable starter, while developing McCarthy behind the scenes. A torn meniscus meant McCarthy couldn’t take advantage of that “redshirt” season.
Darnold reviving his career added a lot of fuel to the discussion. For 2025, they wanted someone to compete with McCarthy, but missed on the two QBs they wanted. Sam Darnold chose the stability of a longer contract with the Seattle Seahawks , while Daniel Jones saw in Indianapolis a QB battle he would have a better chance at.
With a very underwhelming season by McCarthy (and most of the team, to be fair), the Vikings once again looked to add competition. But this time, the former Michigan won’t be the presumed starter.
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Kyler Murray didn’t have the career the Cardinals hoped for when they selected him 1st overall in 2019, but he’s a talented QB who is only 28 years old. He wouldn’t sign if he weren’t going to be the starter. This means the Vikings will have to decide on McCarthy with little evidence.
Dec 22, 2019; Seattle, Washington, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) passes the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half at CenturyLink Field. Arizona defeated Seattle 27-13. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
To me, there are three ways this season can go. Starting with the two extremes, Murray can have a phenomenal season. I’m talking MVP candidate, deep playoff run, phenomenal. In this instance, giving him a long-term contract becomes a no-brainer, and McCarthy is on the trade block. Or he can struggle mightily, opening up the doors for McCarthy to start again .
Although I’d obviously prefer the first scenario, both at least tell you something. Either you have Murray long-term, or McCarthy becomes the starter, and you have more games to watch his growth (or lack thereof).
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The worst possible scenario is Murray starting and having an “okay” season. He won’t be good enough to lead the team somewhere or justify a new contract, and also won’t be bad enough for O’Connell to consider a mid-season change.
The new GM would have to decide on McCarthy’s fifth-year option without even seeing him play. The only evidence would be him practicing with backups during the season and KOC’s opinion on his mechanics and development.
And that’s how you delay a decision. A very important one, by the way. I’m not saying the Vikings shouldn’t have signed Murray. Quite the opposite, actually. For the league minimum, not signing him would almost be malpractice. But it doesn’t change the fact that, unless we see an extreme scenario, the 2027 offseason will have the same discussion.
