The Minnesota Vikings are going to do something to add a quarterback this offseason. The primary questions are who is available, since some of those are in flux, and to what extent they want to unseat J.J. McCarthy as the starter.
It doesn't sound like anyone in the building is giving up on McCarthy, with the reality that he has made 10 starts and has had a less-than-ideal first two seasons. But pushing him with legit competition is an order, and with that, someone who can provide a baseline level of acceptable play if called upon will be added.
The Vikings can and should leave no viable stones unturned to add a veteran quarterback, and interim general manager Rob Brzezinski has said that's essentially the plan. Some options are more appealing than others, but any available quarterback will have some flaws.
An ESPN analyst makes a case for the most ideal Minnesota Vikings QB addition
On Friday morning's edition of "Get Up", a question about the Vikings' most ideal quarterback option was posed to the panel of Dan Graziano, Louis Riddick, and Mike Tannenbaum. Host Mike Greenberg further framed it as someone to "get J.J. McCarthy's attention" or "I need to bring a quarterback who can take this team where I think it can go."
Riddick made his stance about McCarthy clear, but he also offered a potential addition that has garnered some increased buzz lately.
"I think it's a little bit of both. Although I wouldn't necessarily frame it as 'I need to get J.J's attention...I think they know what kind of person he is. They understand that he probably knows 'I need to pick up my game, I need to really iron out some of these technical deficiencies that I have, and become a more consistent quarterback, I need to stay on the football field and I need to deliver."
Riddick reinforced how the profile of the quarterback the Vikings bring in is critical, in light of the investment made in McCarthy, and it not being ideal or necessary to "mess with him." Then he named who he thinks would be that ideal quarterback addition.
"So a guy like Geno Smith makes perfect sense for me. Has anyone ever said anything bad about Geno Smith, as far as the way in way in which he conducts himself as a professional?...You can argue about whether or not he's good enough to be a guy to take you to the playoffs and beyond, but you cannot argue about his professionalism."
"That's the No. 1 criteria I would be looking for. Obviously I'd be looking for a good quarterback who can kind of maximize this roster. But I would not just bring in any-old-body in here and go 'I just need the best player, and I just really need to level up and upgrade. Because you're still trying to develop J.J. McCarthy. Unless of course there's something going on that I don't know about, and they don't like him anymore."
While there's a chance new head coach Klint Kubiak wants to keep him as a veteran mentor to Fernando Mendoza, Smith is most likely not going to be a Las Vegas Raider much longer. The question there is if he'll be released or if they'll try to trade him for whatever they can get.
Smith did not play well last season, but he was also a victim of an awful situation in Las Vegas. He is ostensibly still a starting-caliber quarterback, but at the same time, he would probably be ok in a backup role. That is the sweet spot for a Vikings quarterback addition this offseason, with cost as an obvious consideration.
Smith isn't the most inspiring potential addition to the Vikings' quarterback room. But he does fit the template for what should be (and most likely will be) sought, while others don't fit it as well.