Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spent heavily last spring, yet the Vikings sit at 4-8 through 13 weeks. Significant turnover is coming, and Minnesota must find ways to shrink a massively inflated cap sheet.

One area Kevin O’Connell will need major help is quarterback. McCarthy can’t return as the unquestioned starter, and now one of the quarterbacks they moved on from might unexpectedly hit the open market.

Although the Vikings didn’t want to meet Sam Darnold’s full asking price, they did want him back. Minnesota reportedly offered a similar deal with shorter terms, but Darnold chose stability in Seattle. It’s now possible the Seahawks won’t actually provide that stability after all.

Sam Darnold Could Be Cut by the Seattle Seahawks

NFL insider Dan Graziano recently listed several surprising cut candidates over at ESPN.com. Not only did Darnold make his list, but Dan makes a pretty compelling case for why the Seahawks cutting Darnold this offseason isn’t as crazy as it seems.

Remember, this is the same organization that sent Geno Smith packing, following one of the most productive seasons of his NFL career in 2024, in favor of Darnold.

Darnold signed a three-year, $100.5 million contract with the Seahawks in free agency this year. He is under contract for a very reasonable $28 million in 2026 and $45.7 million in 2027. But as is the Seahawks’ policy with veteran contracts, none of the money beyond the first year was guaranteed at signing.

If Darnold is still on the Seahawks’ roster five days after the Super Bowl (so, Feb. 13), then $17.5 million of his 2026 compensation becomes fully guaranteed. But if they were to cut him before that, they wouldn’t owe even one more penny and would be on the hook for just $25.6 million in dead money.

Odds are the Seahawks keep [Darnold] for 2026. But they build these contracts this way on purpose — to give themselves maximum flexibility. If the Seahawks decide Darnold isn’t their guy — or if they find someone else they think is an upgrade — they would be in position to pivot without very much financial pain.

ESPN

After posting a 66.2% completion rate with Minnesota last year, Darnold has been even sharper in Seattle, completing 68.2% of his passes. He’s thrown 19 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions while helping Jaxon Smith-Njigba emerge as one of the league’s brightest young receivers.

There’s no obvious football reason for head coach Mike Macdonald to reset his quarterback situation, but the Vikings quite literally just made the same choice. If Seattle falls short of a Super Bowl run, the front office could decide to allocate resources elsewhere.

It would be a truly wild full-circle moment if Darnold ended up back in Minnesota. It would be nearly as shocking if he hit the open market at all. For now though, Graziano isn’t ready to rule it out.

Returning home for a matchup against the Washington Commanders, the Vikings will have J.J. McCarthy back under center. Max Brosmer made his NFL debut in Week 13 and left plenty to be desired, making McCarthy’s return even more significant.

Fortunately for Minnesota, 24 hours made a noticeable difference on the injury front.

Starters Galore Get Full Practices for Vikings

A staggering 15 players appeared on Wednesday’s injury report. While none have dropped off entirely, the situation now looks far less dire.

Thursday's #Vikings injury report pic.twitter.com/ILNCjdhgZf

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 4, 2025

Jonathan Allen, Blake Brandel, Ryan Kelly, Ty Chandler, and Jalen Redmond all upgraded from limited sessions due to health issues to full participants. Guard Donovan Jackson also moved closer to returning to full participation.

The Vikings have played without their full offensive line for most of the season. Coming off a concussion, McCarthy could certainly benefit from having as much protection as possible. Against an equally struggling Washington Commanders team, improved health up front could make a meaningful difference.

Thursday marked McCarthy’s second straight full practice, and it was also Ty Chandler’s first since his 21-day return window opened. The running back could be on track to play this weekend for the first time since Week 1, though activating him would require a corresponding roster move.

Washington Commanders May Have Their QB back

Jayden Daniels suffered a gruesome elbow injury earlier this season, prompting fears that his year would be over. Marcus Mariota has filled in capably, but Daniels logged a full practice on Thursday, signaling that a return may be imminent.

Thursday injury report#WASvsMIN | #RaiseHail

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 4, 2025

At 4-8, the Vikings probably shouldn’t be overly concerned with which quarterback they face. Still, they’ have’ve had poor luck with starters returning just in time to play them. Lamar Jackson came famously back from injury to beat Minnesota at U.S. Bank Stadium during his Ravens tenure.

It’s somewhat surprising that the 3-9 Commanders are willing to risk their young quarterback’s health, but competitors will always push to play. The two teams kick off on Sunday at 12pm.

On Wednesday, the NFC East bottom-dwellers were optimistic their superstar QB Jayden Daniels will return this week against the Vikings, following three weeks out with a dislocated elbow. That optimism went into overdrive Thursday when Washington upgraded their starting QB to a full participant at practice.

JJ McCarthy clears concussion protocol

On the other side of the sideline in Minneapolis this weekend, the status of Minnesota’s starting quarterback JJ McCarthy is even less cloudy. In fact, it’s incredibly clear.. as in McCarthy has officially been cleared from concussion protocol.

J.J. McCarthy is out of concussion protocol. pic.twitter.com/XMPrAbBcqb

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 4, 2025

Related: Vikings Could Give Up on JJ McCarthy Sooner Than Later

Barring any sort of setback or some other unforeseen circumstance, the MN Vikings’ 2024 No. 10 overall pick — who met with reporters on Thursday — will be back under center for the purple four days from now.

If JJ McCarthy does indeed return Sunday, he will make the seventh start of his professional career. Everyone invested, from fans to coaches to the Wilfs will be watching closely, in hopes that the 22-year-old Michigan alum can show signs that he can be the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be.

Minnesota Vikings franchise QB needs to show us SOMETHING

Since McCarthy was drafted back in April 2024, the Minnesota Vikings have played exactly 30 games, between the regular and postseason. Of those 30 opportunities, JJ has played in just six.

After weeks of incessant conversation over the redshirt rookie’s mechanics, O’Connell changed his tune regarding the young quarterback’s thinking, heading into the weekend. Enough thinking… just go throw the football to open receivers.

Interesting: Asked today about expectations for J.J. McCarthy, Kevin O'Connell said it's time to stop the season-long conversation on fundamentals and focus on decision-making. He also said he has spoken with McCarthy about protecting himself better when scrambling. pic.twitter.com/Cig2SK1nP3

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) December 3, 2025

Related: Vikings Projected for Odd Position in First Big Mock Draft

Entering Sunday’s contest vs the Commanders, JJ McCarthy has completed just 54% of his passes for 929 yards, 6 touchdowns and a whopping 10 interceptions. He’s also been sacked an astonishing 30 times, in his six starts.

After former Gopher Max Brosmer flopped on his face last week (4 INT, 0 TD), when given an opportunity to start in place of McCarthy, the Minnesota Vikings somehow seem even more desperate to see a light at the end of JJ’s tunnel this weekend against a bad Washington team.

Even so, a healthy J.J. McCarthy is expected to return as the starting quarter. Nothing is more important for the franchise right now than determining whether their young quarterback can develop into a reliable piece of their future. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case so far, and the Vikings may not be willing to wait much longer.

Make or break time for McCarthy in Minnesota

Saying that J.J. McCarthy has looked overmatched might be an understatement. Justin Jefferson is visibly frustrated, and head coach Kevin O’Connell has voiced concerns as well. At 4-8 the Vikings have struggled largely because of inconsistent quarterback play. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes the final stretch of the season will shape McCarthy’s future with the team.

If McCarthy returns from his concussion and shows signs of growth over the final month of the season, the Vikings should field competition for their starting job in camp next year. If he continues to look overmatched upon his return to the lineup, though, the Vikings might move forward with a new plan at quarterback, consigning McCarthy to a backup role after just a handful of pro starts.

ESPN

The situation is far from ideal. McCarthy, a former first-round pick, has already missed significant time, and when he has been on the field, he hasn’t shown noticeable progress. It’s unfortunate that this is the state of things for the Vikings and McCarthy, but it’s hard to ignore the realities.

This season McCarthy owns a 2-4 record with an ugly 54.1% completion rate, six touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Poor fundamentals have been at the center of his struggles, and the coaching staff has reportedly simplified the offense in an attempt to help him.

It’s been a rough debut season. An 11-game sample may not be entirely fair, but it’s all the Vikings will have to evaluate once the season ends.

Daniel Jones unlikely option for Vikings

Last offseason, the Vikings had interest in Daniel Jones as a veteran option. They even offered him more money than the Indianapolis Colts, but he opted for a clearer path to a starting role. After delivering an impressive season, it appears he’ll remain with the Colts.

The Colts can franchise-tag Jones for $46 million in 2026, and if Jones looks ordinary while he plays through a fractured fibula down the stretch, it might be the most prudent option. If in December and January we see the version of Jones who in the first half of 2025 looked like an MVP candidate, he might be able to extract another contract with a multiyear guarantee.

ESPN

Jones has led Indianapolis to an 8-4 record while playing through a significant injury. Even so, he has managed a 67.9% completion rate and a 19/7 TD/INT ratio.

The Colts seem to have found their quarterback. The Vikings, meanwhile, are still searching for clarity at the most important position in the game.

Things didn’t go well for Brosmer or the Vikings, who fell to 4-8 on the season. With five games left, Kevin O’Connell needs every remaining snap to evaluate his 2025 roster, and getting McCarthy live reps is a crucial part of that plan.

He took steps forward earlier in the week, and Wednesday’s practice report delivered the most encouraging update yet.

JJ McCarthy one day from clearing concussion protocol

There is no denying that McCarthy has not played to the level the Vikings envisioned. Still, simply being on the field is half the battle. After participating fully in Wednesday’s practice, he now stands one step away from clearing the concussion protocol.

Full practice for J.J. McCarthy today, which should put him in line to be cleared from the concussion protocol as long as there are no setbacks. https://t.co/78qMKl12Pn

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) December 3, 2025

The offensive line remains a question mark after the first practice of the week, but McCarthy is trending in the right direction. He’ll need to complete final testing on Thursday and remain symptom-free in order to be cleared.

If he receives the green light, McCarthy will start Sunday when the Vikings host the Washington Commanders. It’s still unclear who will be under center for Washington, with Marcus Mariota recently filling in for the injured Jayden Daniels.

McCarthy has played only six games this year after missing time with both ankle and head injuries. The 2024 first-round pick has completed just 54.1% of his passes with a 6/10 TD-to-INT ratio. There is plenty of room for growth, but as last weekend showed, things can indeed be worse.

With the Vikings facing elimination from playoff contention with a loss or tie on Sunday, there isn’t much left to play for. However, if McCarthy can show meaningful improvement to close out the season, the outlook for 2026 and beyond becomes far less bleak.

While former Vikings QB Sam Darnold stood tall for the Seahawks and calmly withstood a heavy storm brought on by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Vikings backup Max Brosmer was busy throwing the game away (4 interceptions, 0 touchdowns).

So on Monday, when head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that JJ McCarthy is expected to be back under center for the Minnesota Vikings in week 14 against the Washington Commanders, fans celebrated right? Not exactly.

Normally, getting your starting QB back under center would be a huge boost to morale in the locker room. That is unless that QB went into concussion protocol after throwing more interceptions (10) than touchdowns (6) and completing just 54% of his passes through six starts.

Remember when Kevin O’Connell listed off JJ McCarthy’s mechanical problems?

While the fanbase is happy to see their 22-year-old franchise QB bounce out of concussion protocol so quickly, NOBODY is expecting the former National Champion to suddenly look like a competent quarterback on Sunday afternoon.

Unfortunately, among those underwhelmed by JJ McCarthy early in his NFL career is his own head coach, Kevin O’Connell. Last week, KOC publicly said that we need to start “seeing the cement dry” on a multitude of mechanical issues McCarthy has been working on, since being drafted two offseasons ago.

During an interview a few weeks ago with Paul Allen (KFAN), O’Connell open up about the many mechanical issues plaguing his young quarterback, including timing, touch, footwork and body control in the pocket.

#Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell gives an in depth analysis on JJ McCarthy so far:

“We’ve got to start seeing the cement dry on some of the things we’ve really worked hard to make football habits for him from a fundamentals and technique standpoint.”

🎥: Vikings YT, @KFAN1003 pic.twitter.com/4KFJaT0SfP

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) November 18, 2025

Related: Why Did MN Vikings Release Homecoming Cinderella, Adam Thielen?

It was a rare moment of transparency from a MN Vikings head coach that normally fills his media sessions with far more fluff than actual words that mean anything of substance.

Well ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown spent about half of one segment this week discussing our favorite professional football team. I’d recommend going back and watching the entire thing yourself, if possible, because it’s must-see TV for any Vikings fan.

NFL legend calls out Minnesota Vikings head coach

First, former NFL QB Alex Smith talked about whether or not general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his obsession with building a Super Bowl caliber roster around a rookie-contract quarterback has doomed the exponential rise of this Minnesota Vikings team under 2024 NFL Coach of the Year Kevin O’Connell.

But then, the conversation on Sunday Countdown took a surprising turn when legendary linebacker Tedy Bruschi turned the conversation back on O’Connell, accusing the head coach of publicly selling out his redshirt rookie QB during his conversation with PA, above.

The Vikings segment from @espn Sunday Countdown this week was pretty insane.

It started with Alex Smith accusing Kwesi of derailing the franchise the last couple offseason with his obsession of building around a young QB…

…and ends with Tedy Bruschi flipping the… pic.twitter.com/aVu4hATqFQ

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) December 2, 2025

In my opinion, Kevin [O’Connell] calculatedly sold out the quarterback that they decided to keep, and that was JJ McCarthy. Because, when you’re talking about which way your foot’s pointing, your base, your leg kick; Kevin let everyone inside to what he was thinking about his very own first round pick quarterback, and the guy who is going to be his quarterback for the next ten years.

‘This is what’s wrong with this kid and this is why I can’t coach this kid. This is why the cement’s not drying.’ These aren’t my words…this is what Kevin O’Connell said. What I take those comments as, is maybe Kevin O’Connell wasn’t happy with the whole decision too, because we obviously know what the fundamental problems are with JJ McCarthy as a quarterback.”

Tedy Bruschi – ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown (video above)

Related: Viking Superstar Declines Interview After Loss

Was KOC too open about the deficiencies of a developing quarterback that he mostly hand-picked to lead this organization into the next phase of its chase for a Super Bowl?

It didn’t get a lot of negative attention, back when it happened, but there is no doubt O’Connell’s public undressing of McCarthy’s deficiencies feels a bit weird, in retrospect.

While I appreciate the head coach’s honesty, what good did offloading JJ’s skeletons for the football world to chew on really do, other than make Kevin O’Connell feel better in the moment.

Not only was it the MN Vikings’ first shutout loss since 2007, it also dropped them to 4-8 on the season, unofficially ending any last hopes they had of reaching the postseason.

MN Vikings learn (another) unfortunate QB lesson

But what happened yesterday against the Seahawks hit a bit different than even the ugliest of the seven losses that came before it, something that was clear after the 0-26 road failure, when multiple team “leaders” denied requests to speak with media.

Possibly even worse than anything we learned about the Vikings, as a whole, in Seattle… was the knowledge we seemingly garnered on their 24-year-old backup QB, out of the University of Minnesota, Max Brosmer — who was historically bad in his NFL debut.

Minnesota Vikings QB Max Brosmer completed more passes to the Seahawks defense (4) than he did to Justin Jefferson (2) 😭 pic.twitter.com/7YT48jMAaC

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) December 1, 2025

Related: Why Did MN Vikings Release Homecoming Cinderella, Adam Thielen?

The former Gopher completed 19 of 30 passes for 126 yards, 0 touchdowns and 4 interceptions — inarguably one of the worst statistical performances in Minnesota Vikings franchise history — an outing so horrid that it has pushed many fans back toward another run of starts for JJ McCarthy.

JJ McCarthy nearly clear of concussion protocol

Well, head coach Kevin O’Connell took to his regularly scheduled podium meet-up with reporters Monday, and brought good news for all listening. As of earlier this morning, JJ McCarthy is symptom free, after suffering a concussion week 12 against the Packers.

If the McCarthy is fully cleared for practice on Wednesday, the 22-year-old is expected to be released from concussion protocol and be available for the Minnesota Vikings week 14, at home, against the Washington Commanders.

O’Connell says J.J. McCarthy is symptom-free. Needs to go through a full day of practice (the first opportunity being Wednesday) to officially clear concussion protocol.

— emily leiker (@emleiker) December 1, 2025

Related: Vikings Tried Paying Sam Darnold

After many (myself very much included) got the Brosmer hype train rolling at semi-high speeds, leading up to his debut, Max had Vikings fans praying for the return of that Michigan hero they all tried to forgot about last week, if only momentarily.

Through his first six NFL starts, JJ McCarthy wasn’t much better than the guy who replaced him in Seattle. The 2024 No. 10 overall draft pick has completed 54.1% of his passes (86/159) so far this season, throwing for a total of 929 yards, 6 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, including six in his last three appearances.

Minnesota Vikings failing their young QBs and fans right now

Given the unrealistic expectations those in the organization set leading up to JJ McCarthy’s debut season, everyone involved in the Minnesota Vikings’ decision-making process last offseason should be embarrassed with how the 2025 season has played out.

At this point, they have no choice but to pour everything they have into developing JJ McCarthy, so they can try to salvage something positive out of the most difficult year of Kevin O’Connell’s tenure.

Although a quarterback change from J.J. McCarthy (concussion) to Max Brosmer took place this week, the results were basically the same. Superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson was ticked off one game ago, and things ratcheted up another notch this week, as a result.

Justin Jefferson has clearly had enough of MN Vikings

Last weekend, McCarthy posted a 34.2 quarterback rating. On Sunday against the Seahawks, Brosmer had a 32.8 quarterback rating. It’s almost hard to fathom…If a quarterback literally spiked the ball every play, his passer rating would be 39.6, higher than both. Justin Jefferson has grown sick of the ineptitude, and rather than talking about it again, he opted against it altogether.

The Vikings say Justin Jefferson declined to speak. First time that's happened since I arrived in 2022. https://t.co/tC2gIOhNeK

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) December 1, 2025

For Jefferson to completely decline comment is indicative of the dire straits that Minnesota is in. This is a guy who signed the most lucrative non-quarterback contract in history, and did so without acting like the divas that litter his same position.

It’s hard to blame Jefferson, though, because short of veteran journeyman Carson Wentz, he’s hasn’t had a quarterback with the ability to get him the football. McCarthy has been awful, and Max Brosmer found a way to make it worse. On six targets Sunday, Jefferson caught a pair of passes for just FOUR yards.

Justin Jefferson with Carson Wentz this season – 477 yards (95.4 YPG)

Justin Jefferson with anyone else – 322 yards (46 YPG)

— Ted (@tlschwerz) December 1, 2025

Jefferson has 89 NFL games across the entirety of his career. His previous career low was 14 yards against the Detroit Lions in 2022. Kirk Cousins started that game and the Vikings won 28-24, so at least Jefferson had reason to go home happy.

There is zero reason for Jefferson to be happy on the flight home Sunday. He probably isn’t going to be happy the rest of the season, either. Minnesota has six games left, and they don’t have an available quarterback that looks capable of getting him the football.

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell are wasting one of Jefferson’s prime seasons, and they’ll have to make the right decision on quarterback this offseason. The superstar isn’t going to sign up for another season of this nonsense, and even if McCarthy is expected to be the future, he’ll want a much more legitimate option to believe in as well.

The Vikings are a terrible 4-8 team this season. And now, it looks like the team has crushed the spirit of their top playmaker, a tragedy in and of itself.

Justin Jefferson entered today's game with 795 receiving yards.

He ends the game with 799 yards. pic.twitter.com/kYkcQPXkiZ

— Underdog (@Underdog) November 30, 2025

Reports suggested that Max Brosmer would start for the Vikings after J.J. McCarthy left Week 12 concussed. That has now been confirmed by Minnesota, and the final injury report for Week 13 is now available.

Max Brosmer gets first career start for MN Vikings

Kevin O’Connell turned the quarterback position over to J.J. McCarthy this season. Things have not gone well and he owns a 2-4 record with a 54.1% completion rate. After suffering a concussion against Green Bay, he has officially been ruled out. It’s the Max Brosmer show this week.

Max Brosmer will get his first career start this Sunday in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/cmsG6woKND

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 28, 2025

After going undrafted following a strong senior season with the Minnesota Gophers, Brosmer showed out as his pro day and turned heads from the Minnesota Vikings. He played well during his preseason action, and has drawn rave reviews from multiple coaches.

Now 11 games into the season, Minnesota will give Brosmer a chance to pick up his first NFL win. It has been quite a meteoric rise for Brosmer, who just a couple of years ago, was playing at the FCS level.

In 13 games for the Gophers last season, Brosmer completed 66.5% of his passes for 2,828 yards and 18 touchdowns. Equipped with an even more weapons around him, Brosmer should be in a position to thrive.

With McCarthy inactive, veteran John Wolford will be elevated to serve as backup. Desmond Ridder was signed this week to provide depth throughout practice.

Offensive line incomplete again for Minnesota Vikings

It’s not just McCarthy that will be inactive this weekend. Both Christian Darrisaw and Donovan Jackson left the Green Bay Packers contest. It’s possible that Darrisaw is back, and that would be beneficial for Brosmer, but Jackson is out.

Final #MINvsSEA injury report

OUT: Donovan Jackson and J.J. McCarthy

QUESTIONABLE: Christian Darrisaw, Jonathan Greenard, Theo Jackson, Josh Metellus and Jalen Redmond pic.twitter.com/HiNF4xpte4

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 28, 2025

Jackson has now missed multiple games this season. Of 12 total, he will have played in just nine. Jonathan Greenard has missed multiple weeks now, and remains questionable. Jalen Redmond has filled in some on the edge, but popped up on the injury report Thursday with a hip issue.

The Vikings certainly can’t afford to be without both Theo Jackson and Josh Metellus. That is two-third of their starting safeties, and would leave aging veteran Harrison Smith on his own.

Minnesota was healthier than they have been all season against the Packers. Unfortunately that clean bill of health was fleeting and quickly reverted to the injury bug they have dealt with all season.

If the Vikings are going to rip off a victory in Seattle as double-digit underdogs this weekend, they’ll do so shorthanded on the offensive line yet again, unless they get substantially better news on the injury front Friday,

Minnesota Vikings offensive line remains a problem

Last weekend in Green Bay, the Vikings had their starting offensive line together, as intended, for the first time this season. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’ll be the case this week out west, after Christian Darrisaw and Donovan Jackson both missed their second-straight practice on Thursday.

Seahawks-Vikings injury report for Thursday. And Happy Thanksgiving, y’all. pic.twitter.com/c3X28IPCFO

— John Boyle (@johnpboyle) November 27, 2025

Jackson has played in nine games this season, and so too has Darrisaw. The lack of availability doesn’t bode well for either, and short of limited participation on Friday, both will be out.

If Darrisaw is unable to go, then Brosmer will be looking to survive his first career start while having backup Justin Skule protect his blindside. Jackson being unavailable would force Blake Brandel back into action.

Both Justin Jefferson and Harrison Smith were upgraded from limited to full participation. A hip injury also put Jalen Redmond on the injury report as a limited participant.

Although quarterback J.J. McCarthy logged a second-straight limited practice, he has yet to clear concussion protocol. Minnesota signed veteran depth quarterback Desmond Ridder on Thursday.

Injuries have hamstrung the Vikings all year. They look to be trending in the wrong direction once again, and that’s not good news for a team that’s already 4-7.