The Vikings’ Quarterback Question May Turn Toward a Weird Answer
After all that has happened, the Vikings’ quarterback question (J.J. McCarthy hasn’t been perfect) may come around to a name who used to get linked to Minnesota with regularity: Trey Lance.
The draft bust (at least so far) has been operating as the backup passer for the Chargers. He’ll be the temporary starter, filling in for a week as LA opts to rest Justin Herbert. Ari Meirov passes along the update: “#Chargers QB Justin Herbert will NOT play on Sunday vs. the Broncos, per HC Jim Harbaugh. With the division no longer a possibility, they are onto the playoffs.” The Chargers social media team confirmed the Lance news.
The Vikings’ Quarterback Need & LA’s Trey Lance
Prior to becoming a Viking, Sam Darnold was a bust.
A strong athlete with great size and arm talent, Darnold struggled to complete passes. Opportunities with the Jets (awful team) and Panthers (a hair above being an awful team) didn’t work out for the No. 3 selection from the 2018 NFL Draft. With the Vikings (a respectable team that enjoys cosplaying as an awful team), Darnold put together a mostly excellent season. He’s now putting together a mostly excellent with the Seahawks.
Sometimes, folks, all a player needs is some belief, strong coaching, and a respectable supporting crew. Does Trey Lance fall into that category?
The 25-year-old was drafted at No. 3 in the 2021 NFL Draft. San Francisco, a tremendous team with great coaching, failed to unlock his potential. At least part of the issue was Mr. Lance’s injury history.
After failing with the Niners, Trey Lance became a depth option for the Dallas Cowboys. He has since travelled to LA, working with Jim Harbaugh — the one who shepherded J.J. McCarthy toward a championship with the Michigan Wolverines.
Where does Trey Lance go for 2026?
No doubt, the passer hasn’t come anywhere close to expectations. The promise of a starting gig is almost certain to elude Lance when he’s looking for work in a few months. At worst, Lance will be given a shot to be a depth option. At best, Lance will be given a shot at competing for a starting job. The Week 18 performance could be the key within that spectrum of best and worst outcomes.
Across his career, Trey Lance has completed 56.4% of his passes. He has climbed up to 1,153 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. The most basic stats leave something to be desired, but there’s still upside in him.
Consider, for instance, one scouting report.
The assessment from Lance Zierlein: “One-year starter who dazzled in 2019. Lance is mature for his age, but will be just 20 years old at the time of the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s a rare dual-threat quarterback in that he’s tasked with setting his own protections and reading the full field. Coaches rave about his football IQ and film work. They believe he will come into the league more football savvy than most of the quarterbacks in this draft.”
Further: “Tape shows very average arm strength but velocity should improve with better lower-body drive. While his recognition of coverage danger is a plus, he’s currently more of a ‘yellow light’ quarterback who needs to find a ‘green light’ risk-taking mentality to become a playmaking talent in the NFL. An offensive coordinator willing to blend his run/pass talent with a play-action attack could get the most out of Lance, who should become a good NFL starter.”
There’s much to like in the insights contained above.
Being a highly intelligent worker is a great tidbit. Generally speaking, the NFL rewards players who are hard workers, smart, and who possess great athletic talent. That’s a promising cocktail that means there will be ongoing interest in Trey Lance.
The arm strength concern is reason for pause. So, too, is the comment about needing to better assess risk. Most persuasively for an anti-Lance perspective, there’s the level of play within the NFL, which has been very poor.
Again, though, the possibility of Week 18. Trey Lance could play tremendous ball. Putting promising play on tape — note: a football player’s résumé is the game film — would create the conditions for him to be an appealing option come March of 2026. Being a still-young, highly-picked passer with at least some evidence of strong ability means teams will be making offers.
Trey Lance stands at 6’4″ and weighs 226 pounds. He’s currently commanding just above $2 million on the cap.
