No matter how these final five games of the season turn out for the Minnesota Vikings, the franchise’s biggest second-guess of 2025 has become painfully clear.
Going all-in on 22-year-old quarterback J.J. McCarthy back in March made plenty of sense at the time. It was the front office’s complete lack of urgency to complement McCarthy with a suitable veteran backup, however, that continues to miff fans months later.
Things didn’t work with Sam Darnold nor Daniel Jones, as both landed better QB1 opportunities elsewhere in free agency. That doesn’t excuse the team’s head-scratching decision to first add Sam Howell to the roster late, only to cut ties with him in August to sign Carson Wentz off his couch, seemingly on a whim.
The Vikings are still paying for those decisions entering Week 14. The team has already used three different starting quarterbacks in 12 games, and head coach Kevin O'Connell is essentially going back to McCarthy against the Commanders this Sunday by default, after the lights looked too bright for rookie Max Brosmer last week.
The most logical path forward for the Vikings is to stress patience with McCarthy and continue to develop him in 2026 and beyond. But fans can bet on the team acting with much more urgency on the veteran quarterback market this next time around, and here are five players who make sense (without feeding into the ridiculous Aaron Rodgers narrative).
Minnesota Vikings should pair J.J. McCarthy with one of these veteran quarterbacks in 2026
Daniel Jones
Had the Vikings given Jones a real opportunity to compete with McCarthy for the starting job this past summer, he might still be on their roster. To bring him back in 2026, they could find themselves paying handsomely for that mistake, per ESPN insider Jerremy Fowler.
“The funny thing about that scenario is Jones would be an ideal fit in Minnesota, where he backed up Sam Darnold last season. But as the top free agent quarterback, he will score a sizable deal in Indianapolis or elsewhere. Still, the Vikings really liked Jones, and their situation this offseason will be far different than the one from a year ago. Making a play for Jones would give him multiple options to consider.”
If the Vikings prefer the approach of developing McCarthy off the field for at least one season, Jones makes for a logical (but potentially expensive) option.
Davis Mills
He’s not the sexiest option, but Mills’ stock is on the rise after stepping in for the injured C.J. Stroud and leading the Houston Texans to three consecutive wins.
Mills is signed through 2026, so he would cost Minnesota some draft capital. The Vikings also passed on drafting Mills in the 2021 NFL Draft, instead going with Kellen Mond. But when it comes to a cheap, experienced backup who has the chops to step in and win games when called upon, Mills certainly fits the bill.
Mac Jones
Jones raised his stock significantly after stepping in for the injured Brock Purdy and keeping the San Francisco 49ers in the thick of the NFC playoff race this season. He’s proven he can produce in the right situation, and few teams boast the skill-position talent and coaching that the Vikings have.
This is another frustrating one, as the Vikings could have been in on Jones this past offseason. He signed with the 49ers in free agency for two years and just $4.75 million in guarantees, per Spotrac. They’d likely have to trade for Jones and sign him to some sort of extension, but entering the prime of his career at 27 years old, he might be worth the investment with 49 career NFL starts under his belt.
Joe Flacco
When the calendar flipped to April this offseason, and the Vikings still hadn’t signed a backup for McCarthy, Flacco reportedly jumped to the top of their wish list. But with major compensatory pick considerations entering the equation, Flacco opted not to wait until after the NFL Draft to sign with a team, instead joining the Cleveland Browns with an eye on entering the season as their starter.
Flacco’s production over the years is undeniable. It’s unclear how much he’ll have left in the tank entering his age-41 season, but he’d essentially be a player-coach in the QB room, and that could be a boon to McCarthy’s development.
Anthony Richardson
If the Vikings choose to swing big this offseason, they could explore a trade for Richardson, a struggling prospect who O’Connell clearly believed in, as Fowler pointed out for ESPN, during the 2023 pre-draft process.
“O'Connell's track record with veterans is proven, so it feels like that's a viable option for next year, and there's a way to do it without ostracizing McCarthy, via competition. And O'Connell also has respect for Richardson, who could be the next reclamation QB to thrive elsewhere.
Richardson has interest in playing for a coach from the Sean McVay tree, either the man himself or a disciple like O'Connell.”
Minnesota wasn’t in a position to draft Richardson, who went No. 4 overall to the Colts in 2023, but they could certainly target him as a depressed asset and let him duel it out with McCarthy in a contract year next summer.