Carson Wentz Signing Has Already Stirred QB Controversy
The Vikings’ decision to re-sign Carson Wentz is a straightforward depth move on paper. In reality, it has already sparked a wave of speculation about the team’s quarterback situation — some of it grounded, some of it premature.
Currently, the Vikings have four quarterbacks on the squad: Last year’s trio of McCarthy, Wentz, and Max Brosmer, as well as veteran Kyler Murray.
It’s anyone’s guess who the starting quarterback will be for the Vikings, as Kevin O’Connell has not touched that subject when Murray was acquired and he certainly hasn’t updated any rankings since Wentz joined the bunch. He was not wrong when he pointed to the calendar, noting that he doesn’t have to name a starter in March.
Someone who did take a guess on the current depth chart is former Vikings linebacker and Vikings media personality Ben Leber. He unleashed a controversy on social media when he posted:
I believe there will be a true QB competition. So as of right now I would guess the depth chart would be:
Wentz
Murray
McCarthy
May the best man win
He later clarified that he truly meant this exact moment. Murray doesn’t know the playbook and has to earn the QB1 gig first, so Wentz would take the first snap had the Vikings scheduled a game today.
Everyone can now decide how relevant that actually is. Jonathan Greenard is recovering from season-ending shoulder surgery, but nobody would consider Bo Richter ahead of him on the depth chart, simply because there’s no game to be played. Murray’s track record, McCarthy’s uneven play in 2025, and Wentz’s last five years certainly put Murray in the pole position.
Perhaps fascinating is the aspect that Leber considered McCarthy the QB3 at this exact moment. Losing the starting job to Murray doesn’t have to be the end of his Vikings tenure; it could still be just a Ross and Rachel-themed break with him and the starting job getting back together in a year. A demotion to QB3 might be a different story, though.
That’s where Skor North’s Phil Mackey joins the conversation, who suggested Wentz’s return would actually signal the end of the McCarthy era in the Twin Cities.
Mackey, known for the occasional hot takes against the stream, posted minutes after Wentz’s return was announced: “Feels like that’s a wrap for JJ McCarthy in Minnesota”
When he received pushback for that claim, he added, “Logically speaking, why would Carson Wentz — a guy who started several games and played fairly well last season — sign with any team on March 19 as QB3?”
At this point, everything is speculative, of course. It’s noteworthy that Wentz suffered a season-ending shoulder injury and has never been the most durable player in his career. Perhaps teams were not lining up to sign a QB2 with an extensive injury history. Another explanation is that the North Dakotan wanted to stay in the Midwest, close to home.
There’s still the chance the Vikings view him as the actual QB2. If that’s the case, Mackey might be on to something and McCarthy could be a strong trade candidate. The Cardinals and the Steelers have neither an established starting quarterback nor a young QB to develop. They could take a shot and see if the 2024 10th overall pick can play.
At this moment in time, Murray to be the Week 1 starter, backed up by McCarthy, with Wentz holding a clipboard, is the popular expectation. But popularity doesn’t automatically make it correct.
For now, the Vikings have created optionality, not clarity. Wentz’s return adds depth and experience, but it doesn’t redefine the hierarchy just yet. The real answers will come once reps are distributed in training camp and preseason games begin. Until then, any definitive claims about the pecking order say more about the person making them than about the Vikings’ actual plans.