Vikings Insider Relays a New Name for Vikings’ QB Opening
The word is that the Vikings want a more experienced passer to work alongside J.J. McCarthy. After all, the soon-to-be-sophomore has only competed in a single preseason game. Otherwise, McCarthy’s NFL experience sits at zero.
To that end, consider the update from Kevin Seifert of ESPN, who is relaying the word from another analyst: “During ESPN’s free agency special on ESPN2, Dan Orlovsky suggests Jameis Winston as the Vikings’ UFA QB option, presumably if Daniel Jones signs elsewhere.”
The Vikings & Jameis Winston
Back in the 2015 NFL Draft, Winston got snagged at No. 1 overall.
The passer stands at 6’4″ and weighs 230 pounds. His rookie season showed promise, finishing with a Pro Bowl spot alongside finishing as the runner-up for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He only completed 58.3% of his passes but he picked up 4,042 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.
Most recently, Winston worked for the Browns. He went 2-5, completing 61.1% of his passes for 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He picked up a respectable 73.8 PFF grade.
Winston has had an up-and-down career. His 154 career touchdowns stand alongside 111 interceptions, not a great ratio. Plus, there have been some serious off-field problems.
Minnesota’s perspective could be to bring a talented passer aboard in an effort to push McCarthy. Competition brings the best out of players, so adding someone who has played in 105 career games with 87 starts does make at least some sense.
If, in the end, Winston did come to Minnesota, the deal would have to be relatively cheap. McCarthy would be considered the favorite to take the first snap in Week 1.
As Seifert seems to suggest, the preference very likely is for Jones to stick around. He, too, is a former high pick. He’s younger, a great athlete, and already has knowledge of the system. How much could he demand on his deal, though?
Stay tuned. The QB spot in Minnesota is one of the most fascinating stories to monitor as free agency gets moving.
Minnesota has roughly $60 million in cap space.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.