Now that the Aaron Rodgers thing has put to bed, the Minnesota Vikings can move forward with J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback and move toward realistic options to add a veteran quarterback. The trade market is out there as a possibility, but there are some notable veterans who are available and have been stuck in limbo by the Rodgers' situation.
As free agency got rolling on March 10, as shared by ESPN Vikings' beat writer Kevin Seifert, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky matched a veteran signal caller to the Vikings.
"During ESPN’s free agency special on ESPN2, Dan Orlovsky suggests Jameis Winston as the Vikings’ UFA QB option, presumably if Daniel Jones signs elsewhere.”
Daniel Jones did sign elsewhere of course, opting for a better opportunity to start with the Indianapolis Colts. Orlovsky's mention of Winston for the Vikings landed a little awkwardly at first blush, but a deeper dive can make it make a lot of sense--especially now that the Rodgers speculation is over.
Jameis Winston further confirmed as an ideal Minnesota Vikings' target to back up J.J. McCarthy
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports has freshly matched 10 of the top remaining free agents with teams. He matched Winston with the Vikings.
"Carson Wentz is another big-armed journeyman who makes sense here, especially given his Midwestern roots. Winston is a touch younger with a touch more recent starting experience, though, and Kevin O'Connell might like his fiery leadership in the same room as the still-growing J.J. McCarthy."
The mention of Wentz is interesting, but Benjamin did not lose his thesis about Winston being an ideal option to back up McCarthy in Minnesota. The once erratic former No. 1 overall pick (on and off the field) has settled in nicely as a backup and unique leader over the last handful of years.
Winston still has a good bit of "YOLO" in his playing style, with 11 of his 12 interceptions last season with the Browns coming in four of his seven starts along with three games where he topped 300 yards. But that just means he nails two key aspects of an ideal backup quarterback; fun to watch and capable. He also nails a third critical aspect of being a backup to a young quarterback, experienced while not being a threat to stunt his development.
The Vikings have plenty of options as they dive into adding a veteran quarterback that fits. The Winston bandwagon is rightfully picking up a little steam.