All options are being explored and everything’s on the table from Arizona to Florida as it relates to sticky quarterback situations with past first-round selections.
That’s similarly the case in Minnesota, where the plan to find competition for quarterback J.J. McCarthy could come in all shapes, sizes, age and experience.
“What we do know is we need a level of baseline quarterback play for us to be effective,” Vikings executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski said Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine, via The Minnesota Star Tribune's Ben Goessling. “A lot of this is, has been J.J. in an unfortunate [situation] with some of the injuries and things that he’s dealt with. But we’re going to explore every opportunity. We can’t manufacture what’s not there. So, No. 1, where are the options? Is it reciprocal? Is it financially doable? All of those things. There’s just a lot of factors that go into it."
Brzezinski is filling in as a de facto general manager after the Vikings parted ways with GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in January. Adofo-Mensah drafted McCarthy at 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the Michigan product has been snakebitten by injuries and wildly inconsistent on the field over two seasons and just 10 games.
So, head coach Kevin O’Connell revealed on Jan. 13 that the team would be looking for not just depth in the QB room, but competition for the 23-year-old McCarthy.
O’Connell, having anointed McCarthy as the Vikings’ franchise QB in August of 2024, indicated Tuesday he still has confidence in McCarthy, but Minnesota essentially needs to speed things up.
"It's just the timeline is in a different place for all of us than it was at that point," O'Connell said, via ESPN's Kevin Seifert. "And I have a responsibility -- we have a responsibility collectively as we put together this team -- to make sure that we use the data that we have at this time and the experiences we have, the feelings that we've had at different times as an organization."
Since becoming the Vikings head coach in 2022, O’Connell has coaxed exceptional play -- be it for full seasons or a few games -- from Kirk Cousins, Joshua Dobbs, Sam Darnold and even McCarthy. McCarthy struggled more than he shined in 2025, though, with his leadership and a few clutch rallies not enough to overcome mercurial play and some bad decisions. He was hampered by ankle and hand injuries and suffered a concussion last season. In McCarthy's absence, veteran Carson Wentz was battered and rookie Max Brosmer struggled mightily.
Making matters worse were the optics, as the Vikings did not retain Darnold, who had his most successful NFL season in 2024 with McCarthy out for the year due to a torn meniscus. Darnold went on to captain the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl. Daniel Jones, who was also on the Vikings' 2024 roster but did not play, ventured to the Indianapolis Colts and had a stellar campaign prior to an Achilles tear.
So, time is of the essence, with McCarthy needing competition -- and accelerated development -- after a disappointing 9-8 Minnesota season.
Jones was signed to Indy to compete with Anthony Richardson, whom the Colts had tabbed as their hopeful franchise QB with a first-round selection.
That seems to be just the kind of scenario the Vikings are envisioning: a real competition, may the best QB win.
With Brzezinski and Co. open to “exploring all possibilities,” perhaps no situation can be disqualified.
As mentioned, the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins have taken nothing off the table in regards to their QB conundrums with Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa, respectively. Both clubs are expected to move on from their former faces of the franchise, whether via release or hopefully trade. Might either of them be options for the Vikings?
Minnesota is $43.2 million over the cap, so financially, not exactly everything is on the table.
Cousins, who will be released by the Atlanta Falcons and is familiar with O’Connell’s system, could be a viable option.
Derek Carr is contemplating unretirement. Aaron Rodgers hasn’t made a decision for 2026, and his name was connected to the Vikings in his 2025 summer of decision-waiting. Geno Smith is also likely to be released from the Las Vegas Raiders' roster, so there is an abundance of moving pieces in the 2026 QB carousel.
The Vikings have indicated that while they’re still hoping -- and aiming -- for the best from McCarthy, they’re open for anything and everything at the quarterback position.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: NFL Network and NFL+ will have live coverage of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine beginning Feb. 26.