Looks Like the Vikings Pursue a New Quarterback
The quarterback position is always in the spotlight, but this year’s transition from Sam Darnold to new franchise quarterback J.J. McCarthy has drawn a lot of attention, and so has the backup quarterback position due to McCarthy’s inexperience. There was no shortage of rumors, including names like Aaron Rodgers, Joe Flacco, and Kirk Cousins.
Looks Like the Vikings Pursue a New Quarterback
Ultimately, the Vikings acquired Sam Howell via trade during the draft and closed that chapter. Recently, however, that case has been reopened, because the fourth-year passer has not convinced everyone that he’s a reliable QB2.
Last year’s QB3, Brett Rypien, was not that good in the preseason, and rookie Max Brosmer doesn’t fit the profile of an experienced backup, although his preseason play was marvelous and he has made a strong case to remain with the organization beyond Tuesday’s cutdown day.
On Saturday, one day removed from the team’s final preseason game, the franchise reportedly hosted a free agent signal-caller at TCO Performance Center. The man’s name? Carson Wentz.
Vikings Territory’s Dustin Baker had the scoop first, revealing on social media: “We shall see what comes of the Adam Thielen stuff, but I am starting to hear sideways chirps that Carson Wentz is in the mix for the Vikings.”
Indeed, Skol Nation has been focused on Adam Thielen’s rumored return for a couple of days, but Mr. Wentz could just steal some of that shine. Last year, Wentz was active for the Kansas City Chiefs, backing up Patrick Mahomes.
A few hours later, Lindsey Thiry of ESPN posted: “QB Carson Wentz is working out for the Vikings today, per source.”
Prior to his year in Missouri, the passer spent a season with the Los Angeles Rams as Matthew Stafford’s backup. The advantage of that is obvious. While not exact copies, the Rams run an offense comparable to Minnesota’s, from the verbiage to specific concepts. Kevin O’Connell worked under Sean McVay in Los Angeles for a couple of years en route to a Super Bowl championship.
With that knowledge, Wentz could have a head start in learning O’Connell’s version of the offense, with only 16 days between the visit and the season opener.
Wentz, of course, was once a high-profile quarterback in the NFL, entering as the second overall pick in 2016. The Eagles’ passer showed promise in his rookie campaign and was a hot name in the MVP race in 2017. A torn ACL ended those dreams, and Nick Foles finished the job with a stacked roster. Vikings fans are familiar.
Wentz then had three more seasons with the Eagles, but failed to reach his previous heights. In 2021, the Colts acquired him via trade, reuniting him with his former coordinator Frank Reich, and he delivered a season with 27 passing touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Those stats looked better than his actual play, however.
Half a season of starting duties in 2022 with the Commanders was followed by the two seasons under McVay and Andy Reid as a backup, with a total of 43 thrown passes and two starts.
Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling noted, “Vikings QB coach Josh McCown was Wentz’s backup in 2019, McCown’s final NFL season as a player with the Eagles. The Vikings should be plenty familiar with him as they look at backup options.”
McCown was also Sam Darnold’s backup during his playing days, and that worked out quite well.
Wentz’s resume shows 94 career starts, 22,410 passing yards, 153 passing touchdowns, and 67 interceptions. He is now 32 years old and available in free agency.
From an experience standpoint, Wentz has way more games under his belt than all four Vikings quarterbacks combined. He is undoubtedly no longer the Wentz from 2017, but we’ve also seen O’Connell get more out of quarterbacks than other coaches, and if Howell is not the guy for the QB2 role, Wentz is worth a shot.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.