The Minnesota Vikings decided that a quarterback room of J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz was so uninspiring that they quickly pounced on former top pick Kyler Murray following his departure from the Arizona Cardinals. However, they didn't completely take a sledgehammer to that offensive depth chart, especially due to how brittle everyone in that room is.
Murray only played in five games last season due to injuries, and even a healthy McCarthy didn't do much to ward off challenges thanks to his subpar play. Rather than take a chance on someone from a very thin 2026 NFL Draft class, the Vikings decided that bringing back Wentz was the more prudent option.
The Vikings agreed to bring Wentz back to Minnesota on a one-year contract, slotting him as the third quarterback behind the former No. 1 pick Murray and the team's developmental project in McCarthy. This move was unexpected, especially given how the 2025 season ended for Wentz.
While many Vikings have understandably had their fill of seeing Wentz on the field, as far as third-string quarterbacks go, Minnesota could have done leagues worse than getting a veteran with a history of success in the NFL that is familiar with the offensive scheme.
Vikings bring back QB Carson Wentz on one-year contract
Wentz started five games last season, winning two while throwing for six touchdowns and five interceptions. Wentz's season ended as badly as possible last year, as he suffered a serious shoulder injury and compounded it by trying to play through it.
The former No. 2 overall pick, who was once an MVP candidate in Philadelphia and a solid starter in Indianapolis, was considered to be a favorite for the New York Jets' backup job due to his connection with Frank Reich, but it appears his love for Kevin O'Connell won out.
The most likely alignment for the quarterback room features Murray as the starter, McCarthy as the backup, and Wentz as the inactive third-string quarterback. However, with both of those two having struggled with staying healthy over the last few years, Wentz may not just get 17 games as an inactive third quarterback in 2026.
When healthy and kept clean, Wentz still has enough juice in his arm to make a few throws and win a few games, especially with the surrounding talent at wide receiver. However, an ideal season for the Vikings would involve Wentz standing on the sidelines all campaign long.