8 Quarterback Options for the Vikings
At this point, the Minnesota Vikings have three quarterbacks available: J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer on the 53-man roster, while John Wolford is on the practice squad. Carson Wentz, of course, is on IR.
Because neither McCarthy nor Brosmer has gained much experience, the club is reportedly in the market for a quarterback who has.
8 Quarterback Options for the Vikings
The NFL’s trade deadline is coming up shortly, on Tuesday at 3 p.m. to be exact. But let’s check who could actually be available for the Vikings.
1. C.J. Beathard
Beathard is one of the least inspiring options on this list, but he should still be mentioned because he fits the experience threshold with 32 career games and 13 starts. He has nearly 4,000 passing yards and 19 passing touchdowns on his NFL resume.
The sweet aspect is that he’s gettable by just stealing him off Detroit’s practice squad. Now, is he better than Wolford, who is already in the building?
2. Kirk Cousins
Clicking on the page, you knew you would read his name, didn’t you?
The Kirk Cousins story is that he is unlikely to be available, simply because the Falcons want their own veteran quarterback behind Michael Penix Jr., especially with a team that certainly looks like one of the better teams in the conference, and the sophomore being an up-and-down passer so far.
He’ll probably stick around in Atlanta for the remainder of the season, but that’s not guaranteed. The contract and Atlanta’s willingness to ride with him as QB2 make the deal complicated.
3. Case Keenum
Another old friend could be more attainable. Mr. Keenum is currently Chicago’s QB3 behind Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent, and GM Ryan Poles might pull the trigger for some draft capital.
Keenum hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2023. Think about this: Since COVID turned into a big deal early in 2020, Keenum has thrown 142 pass attempts in the regular season.
He’s 37 and probably a little rusty, but how cool would this be?
4. Cooper Rush
Cooper Rush has beaten the Vikings in the past, so the purple organization knows what he can do. However, Rush, who replaced injured QB Lamar Jackson last month, was benched for Tyler Huntley and is seemingly not the ideal fit in Baltimore.
Still, just last year, he threw 12 touchdown passes and only five interceptions, leading the Cowboys to a 4-4 record without Dak Prescott. He’s not a fancy name, but Rush could be a sneaky good backup option, and because he was demoted to QB3, there could be a chance to get him.
Complicating the Rush option is that Minnesota’s Week 10 opponent is Baltimore, meaning the Ravens could be hesitant to offload someone with knowledge of state secrets.
5. Brett Rypien
The last ex-Viking in the catalog, Brett Rypien, is currently on the Indianapolis practice squad. He was hired as Minnesota’s new QB3 prior to the 2024 campaign and served as the emergency quarterback for the entire season.
In the past offseason, the Vikings wanted him to continue in that role, but rookie Brosmer just outplayed him in the preseason. However, he knows the system and has at least some experience. He would be, like Wolford, a QB3 rather than a real backup.
6. Russell Wilson
Other than Cousins, Russell Wilson is certainly the biggest name on the list. He lost his starting job to Jaxson Dart, and the Giants also have Jameis Winston under contract, making one expendable.
Wilson started most of the 2024 season for the Steelers and entered this one as the QB1 for the Giants. Long gone are his prime days, and his nature doesn’t really suggest that he’d be interested in being anyone’s backup QB, but if the Vikings want a high-end backup, the Giants might be worth a call.
7. Zach Wilson
Let’s talk about another Wilson. Zach Wilson is known as a highly drafted bust of the New York Jets, who has ridiculous arm talent and needs someone to unlock it. Does that sound familiar to another former Vikings QB? Since he was drafted second overall in 2021, Wilson hasn’t shown that he has the Sam Darnold career arc in him, but he has some traits Kevin O’Connell is generally looking for.
He has the arm to make any throw in the book, and he brings some athleticism to the table. There’s also a chance he would be available with the Dolphins waiving the flag on the season anyway, and Quinn Ewers has apparently turned some heads in Miami and could just be the backup for Tua.
8. Jameis Winston
Here’s the other veteran quarterback from the Giants. Dart is QB1, and Russell Wilson is still there, so why not acquire the gunslinger everyone loves? One thing is sure: if Winston were to play in O’Connell’s offense with the weapons the Vikings have, things could get entertaining.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.