The potential options for the Minnesota Vikings to add a quarterback this offseason range from pie-in-the-sky dreams to uninspiring. Somewhere in the middle are the most realistic options, rooted in legit competition/valuable mentorship for J.J. McCarthy more than outright replacing him.
During NFL Combine week, another quarterback was added to the list of options for teams who are in the market for a quarterback when ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Carolina Panthers have been getting calls about Andy Dalton regarding a potential trade.
Appearing on "The Pat McAfee Show" on the first day of Combine workouts, while saying he hadn't talked to teams at that point, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said he would let Dalton "explore" a trade if the possibility surfaced.
Earlier in the week, Morgan said the Panthers would look to add someone to compete with Dalton for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind Bryce Young, and he has been transparent with the veteran signal caller about that possibility.
Schefter's report regarding the Panthers fielding calls about Dalton, not coincidentally, came after Morgan's initial comments.
The latest addition to the list of Minnesota Vikings' QB options will make fans beg for a move to be made
In thinking about teams that could call the Panthers about the 38-year old Dalton, a lean toward where he has coaching ties is natural. To that end, Joe Person of The Athletic came through with a couple of potential fits.
"Two landing spots that could make sense are the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets, both of whom have assistant coaches with ties to Dalton. Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich was the Panthers’ head coach when they signed Dalton in 2023, while Vikings quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator Josh McCown was on Reich’s staff."
Dalton has settled into being a veteran backup over the last six seasons. He is fourth among active quarterbacks in career starts with 169, and he has generally provided above-average play over the course of his career.
Dalton would be a dictionary definition of the legit competition/good mentor/consummate professional template the Vikings may lean toward when it comes to the quarterback they add. In light of the news, it makes sense to add him to the list of potential options.
That said, the list of potential options the Vikings could add behind, above, or alongside McCarthy on the depth chart can't get much longer, even as some league insiders seemingly start to hone in on a few. At this point, Vikings fans just want March to come so a move is made to add a quarterback, whoever it ends up being.