Vikings Floated as a Possible Destination for Injured QB
The Minnesota Vikings are currently the laughing stock of the NFL for letting Sam Darnold walk in free agency while moving forward with J.J. McCarthy. Darnold has been balling; McCarthy’s first seven games have mostly been underwhelming, but there’s still time to redeem himself and make the decision look better. The move was not made for 2025 alone.
Vikings Floated as a Possible Destination for Injured QB
Given McCarthy’s struggles, however, the Vikings are widely expected to add competition in the spring. His injury history and the play have made it impossible to further ignore the backup QB position. A high-end replacement is needed, someone who could push him for the QB1 job and step in if needed for one reason or another.
Early names linked to the Vikings include Kyler Murray and Mac Jones, but both are under contract for at least one more season and might require a trade.
Perhaps a reunion with an old friend could be in the realm of possibility? The Seahawks won’t part ways with Darnold, but what about the other departed passer, Daniel Jones?
Minnesota’s situation is quite comparable to the one the Indianapolis Colts were in last year, when they needed competition for Anthony Richardson: A former high draft pick who can’t stay healthy or produce consistently. Jones was the perfect guy to challenge him in camp, and he ultimately won the gig.
The Vikings need their version of Daniel Jones, and nobody can imitate him better than the man himself. He was pushed into the Vikings’ rumor mill this week when ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote: “One is that it makes sense for him to re-sign with the Colts, since they know him and know he can run their offense. He could rehab with them all offseason and hit the ground running whenever he’s cleared. That could be on another one-year deal or maybe a two-year deal with incentives that could make the second year more lucrative if he recovers fully and plays well.”
Jones was expected to sign a contract extension for a salary comparable to Baker Mayfield or Darnold. His heartbreaking Achilles injury suffered in Week 14 put that on pause. The Colts might look elsewhere for a replacement and a big deal is off the table with a long road of recovery ahead.
Graziano continued, “Another is that it would make sense for him to go back to Minnesota, where he finished last season as Sam Darnold’s backup, and rehab there with a staff that knows him and wanted to retain him but couldn’t guarantee him the starting job this past offseason. Either way, the idea of a lucrative, long-term contract extension in Indianapolis (or somewhere else) probably slides to the back burner in light of Jones’ most recent season-ending injury.”
The Vikings reportedly offered him a deal in March. So did the Colts. Because they were comparable offers, the signal-caller chose the route that gave him the better chance of starting, and he saw that opportunity in the AFC. In hindsight, he probably would’ve started for both franchises.
Jones was a driving force behind Indianapolis’ hot start. In recent weeks, they have cooled off and even lost the division lead. Still, he has thrown for 3,101 yards and scored 19 touchdowns through the air and another five on the ground, with a respectable total of eight picks — two fewer than McCarthy logged in only seven games.
Ultimately, the Vikings might want to have someone who can actually practice in training camp, and with an Achilles injury suffered in December, that might not be the case for Jones.
A reunion can’t be ruled out, but it would require the Vikings to enter the offseason pretty desperate. It’s on McCarthy to erase those doubts in the next four games. His recent performance against the Washington Commanders was the first good sign in months.
Two years after Kirk Cousins’ exit, the Vikings might have to make another decision on a free agent QB with a torn Achilles.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.