It's certainly no secret that J.J. McCarthy has struggled through the first six starts of his NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings. There have been flashes of brilliance, of course, including his incredible fourth quarter in which he threw for two touchdowns and ran in another to lead the Vikes to an improbable comeback victory, as well as his two-touchdown first quarter in Minnesota's Week 9 win over the Detroit Lions.
From an overall standpoint, however, things have been bleak, as the 22-year-old has completed just 54.1 percent of his passes and has averaged just 154.8 yards per game. And while he's thrown for six touchdowns, he's also tied for the third-most interceptions in the NFL, already tossing 10 after throwing only 11 during his entire three-year run at the University of Michigan.
Even though McCarthy, as mentioned, has only six professional starts to his name, that hasn't stopped fans and pundits alike from calling for the Vikings to move on, or, at the very least, bring in a veteran presence this offseason to challenge for the QB1 role in 2026.
A Daniel Jones return has been mentioned, but one would assume he's going to get a lucrative contract to stay with the Indianapolis Colts. Aaron Rodgers is another popular choice, but he may end up retiring. Mac Jones has been mentioned as well, but that would involve a trade, as he's currently under contract with the San Francisco 49ers through the 2026 season.
Should Las Vegas Raiders QB Geno Smith be someone the Minnesota Vikings should consider for the 2026 season?
One name that hasn't really been mentioned, however, is Geno Smith, who's actually under contract through the 2027 season but could very well be released by the Las Vegas Raiders this upcoming offseason.
Now, Vikings fans may not be all that excited about bringing in another quarterback who has struggled during this 2025 season to compete with McCarthy.
Smith certainly had his fair share of struggles for the 2-10 Raiders and has thrown a league-high 14 interceptions thus far. But it hasn't been all bad, as he's completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 2,532 yards and 15 touchdowns.
The picks are a problem, of course, but Smith shouldn't shoulder all the blame, as the Las Vegas offensive line has been absolutely atrocious this season, often giving Geno little time to get comfortable in the pocket, which, of course, can lead to some quick throws that end up going to the wrong team.
Not all of his 14 interceptions fall into that category, but a few can undoubtedly be attributed to poor O-line play, much like a few of McCarthy's can.
What's important to remember about Smith is that he isn't that far removed from earning back-to-back Pro Bowl selections with the Seattle Seahawks in 2022 and 2023. And even just a season ago, he threw for a career-high 4,320 yards in leading the Seahawks to a 10-7 record.
So, the upside is there. And the fact that Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has worked well with veteran quarterbacks needing a reset (look no further than Sam Darnold) is obviously a positive.
Now, the only way this would be worth it is if Smith is released, as a trade with the Raiders wouldn't be worth it. Not only would the Vikings lose draft capital, but they'd also be taking on some hefty salary, which they simply can't afford to do with their cap situation being what it is.
Smith is currently set to have a cap figure of $26.5 million in 2026 and a whopping $39.5 million in 2027. Geno would undoubtedly be an asset, but not at those numbers. But if he can become a free agent, and the Vikings could get him to sign a far less lucrative deal, this is certainly something worth exploring.