The Minnesota Vikings have made it clear just two days into free agency that J.J. McCarthy is who they want at quarterback this season and beyond.
Minnesota let Sam Darnold walk for $100 million over three years from the Seattle Seahawks, despite having the opportunity to re-sign him for weeks before NFL rules allowed Darnold to negotiate with other franchises. The team also chose not to use the franchise tag to keep Darnold on a one-year deal for approximately $40 million, or to hold onto his rights in an attempt to work out a trade and get a draft pick or two in return.
The Vikings also let Daniel Jones depart for a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts, despite the need for a veteran in the position group to serve as a failsafe if McCarthy gets hurt and to help him navigate his first healthy season as a professional player.
Those two moves combine to send just as strong of a message on McCarthy as the one the team could issue in a press conference or from its social media accounts.
“With Sam Darnold off to Seattle and Daniel Jones to Indianapolis, it is now considered likely J.J. McCarthy will be the Vikings’ starting QB in 2025,” Tom Pelissero of NFL Network posted to X on Tuesday, March 11.
Vikings Must at Least Consider Starting-Caliber Veteran to Pair Alongside J.J. McCarthy This Season
GettyQuarterback J.J. McCarthy of the Minnesota Vikings.
There remains a chance that Minnesota could bring in a player to compete with McCarthy for the starting job.
The reasons for doing so would be three-fold. First, competition drives work ethic and improvement, which is true in any professional environment and could be a factor in helping McCarthy develop.
Secondly, the Vikings need an insurance policy in case the 22 year old struggles mightily and/or suffers injury. He suffered a knee injury last August that cost him the entirety of his rookie year, so health concerns around McCarthy are more than just hypotheticals in the violent context of the gridiron.
Finally, Minnesota arguably already has a Super Bowl roster. The team went 14-3 last season with Darnold under center and was a win away from the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a bye through the first round of the playoffs. McCarthy has yet to take a regular-season snap, and it’s highly unlikely that a QB who is effectively a rookie is going to lead his team all the way to a title.
If there is a player available who gives the Vikings a better chance to win during this year of the franchise’s current Super Bowl window, Minnesota owes it to its roster and fans to at least consider making that deal.
Aaron Rodgers Remains Free Agent Possibility for Vikings
GettyFree agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
One such option is Aaron Rodgers, who finished last season with nearly 3,900 passing yards and 28 TDs as the starter for the New York Jets.
Rodgers is a free agent and has had discussions with both the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants about potentially starting for their offenses in 2025. NFL analysts have blown plenty of smoke around the possibility of Rodgers to Minnesota, though there is little evidence that fire of any sort exists.
That said, if the Vikings told Rodgers he’d compete for the starting job, that could turn his eye toward Minnesota — which is arguably a better opportunity than the one he’d get in Pittsburgh and clearly a better situation next season than what the Giants can offer.
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