Details on Vikings’ Offseason QB Plan Revealed

Minnesota Vikings fans are probably tired of the NFL news cycle, right about now. You can’t turn the TV on without being reminded about the NFL Playoffs that our favorite football team failed to qualify for.

Turning to Google for some local football coverage is even more depressing. You have Brian Flores flirting with other teams over here, Jordan Addison sitting in a new jail cell over there. And you can’t scroll through social media without endless Sam Darnold regret and/or JJ McCarthy pessimism.

In other words, life as a MN Vikings fan is tough right now. But hang in there, because sooner than later, a 2025-26 Super Bowl champ will be crowned, Flores will make his decision… and then (finally) we can turn to what’s next at quarterback.

Minnesota Vikings walking back same quarterback plan for 2026

Until then, we will eat up every nugget we can find that might give us a hint at what the Minnesota Vikings plan to do at the most important position in all of sports.

At the end of the day, nothing O’Connell and Kwesi do this offseason will matter, if they fail to build a requisite QB room. But according to Kevin Seifert (ESPN) the Vikings’ QB plan this offseason looks scarily similar to what we saw one year ago.

The Vikings have positioned themselves roughly where they were at this time in 2025: hoping to pair McCarthy with a starting-caliber quarterback as both competition and a safeguard against injuries and/or slower-than-expected development.

Just as they weren’t sure whether McCarthy was ready to be their starter in 2025, the Vikings didn’t see enough last season to convince them unequivocally that he’ll make enough progress to lead them to the playoffs in 2026.

Kevin Seifert – ESPN

So, the Minnesota Vikings plan to enter free agency with JJ McCarthy as QB1. Come March, they will again look for a capable veteran backup who can push their 2024 first round pick during training camp.

Last offseason, that was supposed to be Daniel Jones, who undoubtedly would’ve fixed a lot of the issues Minnesota dealt with in 2025. Of course, he signed with the Colts instead.

That should have been the Vikings’ worst miscalculation of year, if not for the gross misconduct they committed when evaluating McCarthy’s readiness to play QB in the NFL.

So while the Vikings remain open to trading for a superstar like Joe Burrow, should the Bengals make him available, they ultimately expect JJ McCarthy to be the likely QB1 by the time free agency rolls around.

Vikings QB plan: Don’t miss on JJ McCarthy’s veteran backup/competition

That’s why the MN Vikings’ apparent top priority this offseason, according to Seifert, is to bring in a legitimate veteran quarterback to push their third year former National Champion.

Among the names Seifert lists as possible options include all the standard names: Daniel Jones (again), Malik Willis, Kirk Cousins, Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, Jimmy Garoppolo and Russell Wilson.

Via trade, he names Mac Jones, Geno Smith and Tua Tagovailoa. Whoever it is, KOC and Kwesi cannot afford to whiff like they did last offseason on Jones.

In reporting on the circumstances late in the season, ESPN quizzed sources on the possibility of the Vikings pursuing a quarterback with enough stature to vault ahead of McCarthy as the unquestioned 2026 starter before camp begins. None could rule it out.

At the very least, and perhaps more realistically, the Vikings will target a quarterback equivalent to what Jones was in 2025, when he won the Colts’ job in training camp and started 13 games before tearing his right Achilles.

Just as they weren’t sure whether McCarthy was ready to be their starter in 2025, the Vikings didn’t see enough last season to convince them unequivocally that he’ll make enough progress to lead them to the playoffs in 2026.

Kevin Seifert – ESPN

So… let me get this straight. Unless a dude like Joe Burrow falls into their lap (which is unlikely) the Minnesota Vikings plan to run back pretty much the same plan as last offseason?

Only this time, they’re going to do better? The same exact decision-makers that screwed up so bad in 2025 will apparently (1) not misjudge JJ McCarthy’s readiness or (2) fail to land their No. 1 veteran insurance option, which last offseason was Daniel Jones.

But if they somehow trip up on steps 1, and 2 again… don’t you worry. Because the Vikings also plan to land a better backup plan than Sam Howell, a signing that ultimately doomed their 2025 season.

Well, I don’t know about you guys… but I sure feel better.