The sheer nature of the beast when it comes to young NFL quarterbacks means instant reactions simply have to come. So, after five career starts, with more bad than good overall, some people are ready to declare Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is a bust.
More reasonable minds will sit in "wait and see" mode, with the final seven games of the season very important for McCarthy to undo those microwave narratives about his career trajectory. For the Vikings, with realistic playoff hopes all but gone, McCarthy's development is now even more of a focus.
That said, it's reasonable to wonder what the Vikings will do if McCarthy doesn't show better signs of being the guy over the rest of the season. The addition of legitimate competition for the starting job during the offseason would certainly be in play, at minimum. As the roster is currently constructed, sticking with a struggling quarterback in the hope he figures it out is not a great option.
The Minnesota Vikings are offered a wild pivot option if quarterback J.J. McCarthy proves ripe to be replaced
Wynston Wilcox of FanSided led his list of three starting quarterbacks who are playing themselves out of a starting job after Week 11, with McCarthy, with an offseason solution each team could pursue.
The pivot option Wilcox proposed for the Vikings, for lack of a better term, comes straight out of left field.
"Solution: Pay Daniel Jones if the Indianapolis Colts don’t.
"It’s easier said than done, but the Vikings have to consider a move for Daniel Jones this offseason if McCarthy continues to be inconsistent. They can’t waste this team’s championship window on an inexperienced quarterback. Jones proved that with the right system, he can thrive. In Minnesota, he would be set up to succeed and save McCarthy from continuing to hold the Vikings back."
Jones, of course, spent the end of the 2024 season on the Vikings' practice squad after the New York Giants let him go. His time in Minnesota was the career reset he needed, but when the Vikings were clearly committed to McCarthy as their starting quarterback for 2025, he wisely chose to sign with the Colts.
For their part, the Colts seemingly plan to extend their relationship with Jones beyond this season. They sent their next two first-round picks to the New York Jets for cornerback "Sauce" Gardner at the trade deadline, when they could have added their proverbial quarterback of the future with either of those picks.
It's also fair to assume Jones' priority will be to re-sign with the Colts. But as can be said for any free agent, he should absolutely see what else might be out there on the open market. Maybe he'd take less than he could get elsewhere to stay with the Colts, but other teams with interest shouldn't stop a pursuit until he is officially re-signed.
The Vikings should leave few, if any, viable stones unturned if McCarthy lines himself up to be replaced in the offseason. How viable Jones is as an alternative option is out of their hands, but from a hypothetical, "never say never" view, the fit makes sense.