Insider: Vikings Now a Magnet for Quarterbacks
The Vikings’ quarterback situation has turned into one of the most closely watched storylines of the offseason — and it might be attracting more attention than expected around the league.
Quarterback is at the top of Minnesota’s offseason priority list. They are widely expected to add competition for J.J. McCarthy, but with many names out there, it’s unclear which guy they will target. According to a new report from ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, Minnesota is emerging as a preferred destination for several top available quarterbacks this offseason.
Jeremy Fowler, a well-connected reporter, noted on NFL Live this week, “My sense right now, from asking around, is all the top quarterbacks that will be, or could be, available, Kyler Murray, Geno Smith, this is the place they want to go. It is Minnesota.”
Murray and Smith are two candidates to move franchises this offseason; both teams appear to be considering different directions at the position.
Fowler added that having Justin Jefferson and Kevin O’Connell helps recruit quarterbacks.
That type of league-wide perception matters. When multiple veteran quarterbacks view a team as a desirable landing spot, it often signals confidence in the coaching staff, offensive weapons, and overall roster stability. In Minnesota’s case, Kevin O’Connell’s reputation and Justin Jefferson’s presence appear to be doing heavy recruiting work behind the scenes.
Jefferson had a slow year for his standards, narrowly clearing the 1,000-yard benchmark in Week 18. He had to work through three subpar passers and only veteran Carson Wentz had any clue how to feed the star player. Young quarterbacks J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer struggled in all areas of the game, but also couldn’t help the best player on the team contribute.
And that’s precisely why the Vikings are looking for a quarterback. Brosmer was never expected to play in 2025 and as an undrafted rookie, his play can be excused. McCarthy, however, is supposed to be the franchise quarterback. His uneven sophomore season is a major reason the Vikings are exploring competition rather than handing him the job uncontested.
That uncertainty is exactly what fuels the current rumor cycle. When a team openly explores competition rather than publicly locking in a young starter, agents and veteran quarterbacks naturally view that situation as an opportunity rather than a closed door.
Fowler then addressed the Kyler Murray option: “Murray would be an interesting fit there. They could sort of rebuild him. The Cardinals have to figure out exactly what they want to do and how they want to split up the money to facilitate that $37 million in guarantees that he is owed. If they can do that, I think they’ll move on.”
Murray, despite some very real flaws and concerns, undoubtedly comes with enough talent to consider him one of the more high-end choices. Last year, the former first overall pick was sidelined by a foot injury and never returned to the lineup. The Cardinals had no incentive to bring him back in a lost season and had Jacoby Brissett close out the campaign.
With the new coaching staff in place, the expectation is that they want to move on and start a new era. A release is possible, but so is a trade. The situation will become clearer over the next three weeks, as free agency approaches.
Murray would be a different type of quarterback for Kevin O’Connell. He can operate a spread offense, but there are real concerns about his injury history (especially with his size), and his once-lethal deep passes haven’t been as sharp over the last couple of years.
For him, however, it would certainly be preferred to go to a situation like the Vikings, where the head coach is often labeled as a quarterback whisperer. Though he hasn’t gotten the desired results out of McCarthy, his work with Sam Darnold is enough for an ousted passer like Murray to be intrigued by working with the head coach. Like Darnold, he is a veteran (those generally thrive under O’Connell) with some unteachable physical tools.
But he’s far from the only guy in the rumor mill. There are aging NFC North veterans Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers. Recently, Derek Carr re-entered the NFL news cycle. He seemingly wants to make a comeback in the right situation. Fowler name-dropped Geno Smith, who belongs in that group, too. Smith is under contract with the Raiders, but the franchise is looking for a new solution with the first overall pick in April.
On the younger side are free agent Malik Willis and 49ers backup Mac Jones. Both have revived their careers as backups in Shanahan-style offenses and want to claim a starting job in the near future.
Players who need that type of situation as a backup in a stable organization include Will Levis and Anthony Richardson. O’Connell could be on their physical tools and have his front office pursue a trade.
If Fowler’s read on the market is accurate, the Vikings won’t be short on options. The bigger question isn’t whether quarterbacks want to come to Minnesota — it’s which direction the organization is actually willing to take as uncertainty around J.J. McCarthy continues to linger.