MN Vikings Insider Names Two Veteran QBs to Watch

The last couple weeks of the Minnesota Vikings’ 2025 NFL offseason have been dominated by chatter connecting them to infamous future first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback, Aaron Rodgers — who’s now 41-years-old, and has yet to find an employer for next season.

But on Wednesday, the latest report from Tom Pelissero (The Athletic) put the Rodgers + Vikings rumors to bed, at least for now, tweeting out that the Vikings are no longer considering the 4X MVP as their QB for 2025… at least for now.

There’s still a belief among insiders, specifically The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, that the MN Vikings may revisit the Rodgers conversations later this offseason, if they don’t like what they see from McCarthy over the next month or two.

Veteran QBs Minnesota Vikings fans should watch…

Nonetheless, it’s at least time to look at what else is available on the QB market, now that the likelihood Rodgers wears purple is seemingly less and less. Per reports, Vikings are considering remaining free agents and possible trades. And one insider, Ben Goessling (Star Tribune) has some targets that fans should keep an eye out for.

Goessling, who grew up in Minnesota and graduated from the U of M, talked more in-depth about both quarterbacks on KFAN Radio Tuesday, and tweeted out the names on Wednesday — 40-year-old, Joe Flacco and 36-year-old, Ryan Tannehill. Ben also notes that “the comp pick formula matters here”.

Said it with @PAOnTheMic yesterday, but here’s where I’d keep my eye for #Vikings backup QB options: a veteran with a clear role like Flacco or Tannehill, or a trade. The comp pick formula matters here. They’re also excited about where J.J. McCarthy is at.

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) March 19, 2025

Need a rough explanation of the “comp pick formula”? Most NFL free agents signed this time of year play into next offseason’s formula. The full details of the comp pick formula are unknown. But in essence, the comp pick formula is used to grant teams ravaged by free agency additional draft picks, to try and make up for their losses.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Out on Aaron Rodgers… For Now

The formula takes every team’s signed free agents + their lost free agents and compares them side-by-side in order to decide how many comp picks a team gets, and where they are slotted (between the back of the 3rd and 7th rounds).

What would Joe Flacco or Ryan Tannehill bring to Vikings?

Last season with the Indianapolis Colts, Joe Flacco appeared in 8 games (6 starts), passing for 1,761 yards, a 65.3% completion rate, 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. The 2023 Comeback Player of the Year has thrown for 45,697 yards, 257 touchdowns and 162 interceptions. According to previous reports, the Minnesota Vikings have already been incontact with Flacco this offseason.

Ryan Tannehill is a more interesting QB for Goessling to name, being he hasn’t played in the NFL since 2023, when he started 8 games for the Tennessee Titans, tossing for 1,616 yards with an ugly 4/7 touchdown/interception ratio and a 64.8% completion rate.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Hire Former NFL QB as Defensive Assistant

Tannehill last threw for over 3,000 yards in 2021, when he was 33 years old. The former college wide receiver turned quarterback at Texas A&M peaked as an NFL QB in 2019, when he too won Comeback Player of the Year by throwing for 3,819 yards, 33 touchdowns and just 7 interceptions (67.2% cmp), earning him his only Pro Bowl and All Pro appearances of his career.