We have been hearing for some time that the Vikings plan to add competition for quarterback J.J. McCarthy this offseason. During a recent appearance on the Scoop City podcast, Dianna Russini of The Athletic threw cold water on the notion that a Minnesota-Kirk Cousins reunion could be in the cards, though she did acknowledge that the Vikes could look to add to their QB room (video link).
Russini reiterated Minnesota still wants to develop McCarthy in the hopes that he can live up to his first-round draft status, and ESPN’s Dan Graziano likewise confirms the Vikings are not ready to give up on the Michigan product. Still, the club seems to want to make McCarthy earn the starting job in 2026, and in addition to Cousins, names like Kyler Murray and Anthony Richardson have been floated as possibilities.
There may be mutual interest between the Vikings and Richardson, who would be acquired via trade with the Colts. As ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted last month, a trade could be the most likely way for Minnesota to add McCarthy competition, because a free agent with options may not want to sign without assurances that they will be given first crack at the QB1 role. Other trade possibilities, per Graziano, include the Eagles’ Tanner McKee and the Texans’ Davis Mills.
Mills was linked to the Vikings in a November report, just like Murray was. Graziano says signs continue to point to a Murray release, which means he will be a free agent in short order (and therefore may not want to hitch his wagon to a team that still has high hopes for its incumbent starter).
Just as Arizona is likely to cut Murray, the Dolphins are expected to release Tua Tagovailoa in the near future, with Graziano confirming the cut will likely be made with a post-June 1 designation. With respect to their possible free agent targets, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (in the same Graziano piece linked above) reports the Vikings have Murray and the Raiders’ Geno Smith in their first tier of preferred options, with Cousins and Tagovailoa in the second tier.
Smith, though, may not make it to the open market. As our Nikhil Mehta recently suggested, it may behoove the Raiders to retain Smith as a mentor for Fernando Mendoza, whom Las Vegas is all but certain to select with the top pick in this year’s draft. Per Graziano, coaches from multiple QB-needy outfits are anxious to see if the Raiders will release Smith, as they believe the 35-year-old was held back by the Silver-and-Black’s offensive system in 2025. The Raiders may feel the same and could therefore keep Smith in the fold.
If they do choose to part ways, Fowler believes the Vikings make plenty of sense as a landing spot. He adds that many quarterbacks view Minnesota as an attractive destination, likely due to the presence of head coach Kevin O’Connell and wide receiver Justin Jefferson (though again, it is possible that McCarthy and Minnesota’s hopes for him could act as something of a deterrent).
It still seems fair to expect the Vikings to add a QB. Whether they can lure a high-profile player like Murray or Tagovailoa or will need to execute a trade for a passer like Mills or McKee is the question.
Now that’s a strong trio to consider. The 3 worst QBs in football with awful contracts to boot. What are we doing?
All three were at one point Pro Bowlers.
Pro Bowl in the NFL is meaningless these days. Shadeur Sanders and Joe Flacco were Pro Bowlers this year and neither were even top 15 in the league. Sanders only played in 8 games.
They were Pro Bowlers because they put up very good numbers in their respective seasons. You don’t know what you’re talking about.
Geno literally had 30+ TDs, minimal interceptions, and I believe 3500+ passing yards his Pro Bowl season. Kyler had one very good year before he just nosedived, and Tua finally looked like the real deal during his contract year and before the concussions.
Pro bowl has zero meaning.
Is the Pro Bowl still a thing?
The Vikings are presumably only interested in them as free agents, not as trade candidates. So the contract obligations would be minimal.
If they are released their previous team is on the hook for their contracts.
The Vikes would pay the league minimum.
That’s not true. You f more than one team is involved the price would/could climb.
“As expected, Tagovailoa will receive a one-year, veteran-minimum deal in Atlanta”
What??? Tua signed for the veteran minimum? I thought you said that wouldn’t happen.
Your knowledge is so inspiring.
Maybe I’m not the F, it seems that you are.
This team is broke. Bad cap decisions and they don’t even have a QB. They can’t afford anyone besides a vet-minimum guy.
Not true
Treading water
This is a depressing article for Viking fans.
Can’t be any worse then what us Browns fans have..hearing Watson is “back”
I’d be curious to see Geno in a good team again. The Raiders OL was SO bad. Geno lead the league with 55 sacks. A lot were on him but I think he’s better than what he looked in LV
I agree, but Geno is a magnet for pass rushers. Not only in Vegas but Seattle as well, where Darnold was sacked alot less due to improvement on the line, plus Kubiak moving him outside the pocket. If Kubiak can improve the line and get Geno to move around alot, he could hold the reins in Vegas till Mendoza is ready. In Minny, Geno could get it to the wideouts but will still get sacked alot. I think the Raiders will keep him unless Kubiak could convince Carr to rejoin the team.
Exactly. I’d keep Geno until the line is better and Mendoza can play. Last years system and coaches were terrible.
I’m not holding out hope for Geno to be what he was at his best again, but in a market like this, he deserves to at least be in competition somewhere. The Raiders offense was a disaster last year. The line was lacking talent and poorly coached. Bowers was out a lot. The receiving corps was badly lacking in talent, especially when Meyers was traded and Kelly seemed uninterested in Bech. I think Smith could be the perfect veteran competition in Minnesota.
I also think Murray is over-hated on here. He’s not worth his contract, his health has been a problem, and he’s frustrating. But unless he’s hurt, he’s also still a top 25 quarterback in football, which may sound like damning with faint praise, but some teams are going to settle for lower floors and lower ceilings. And I don’t think he’s ever been in a great situation.
Tua is the biggest no thanks. He had elite weapons and creative scheming tailored exactly to what he could and couldn’t do, and he still fell apart. And his contract is by far the worst.
Kyler can win games. People forget how mediocre cardinals franchise actually is ownership is mid too. Kyler with O’Connell Jefferson and a run game can win games
Except the run game in Minnesota and OL is unlikely to be any better than what he is coming from. Unless Kyler suddenly becomes a new type of athlete mentally, why would he suddenly improve?
Hellooooo—-draft and free agency? I’m if I’m the Vikings I kick jones to the curb(lost explosiveness and way too damn injury prone) and make a grab for Allgier who’s a free agent this year out Atlanta. Use a first rounder on Kenyon Sadiq and draft some O linemen another WR and DBs.
Sign Kyler to a vet minimum, Arizona is paying his remaining guarantees. Push JJ in camp. Better results follow
They don’t have much cap space currently to do much.
Geno sucks. Sure the offense and the O-Line weren’t good but he is accountable for all of those INT’s. Trade him to the Vikings for Aaron Jones.
Jones will be cut.
“Geno Smith in their first tier of preferred option” Oh, boy. I am beginning to feel sorry for the Vikings.
Geno would by farmers the worst. Tua and Murray have had flashes, Murray has the higher ceiling if he can reset his mind.
I could see Murray as the next QB comeback story in Minnesota just like Darnold
Tua would be a riskier option since he is a walking concussion machine but also has the same high ceiling
I would feel so bad for Vikings fans if they believe Geno is the right guy to be their starter
Let’s update an old cliche…
A Darnold in the hand is worth two (maybe more) McCarthys in the bush.
I wonder if JJ has considered how bad he must be for the team that drafted him to consider those 3 rubes? lol
I have said this for 2.5 years. Geno sucks. He was good for the first half of the season in Seattle. It went to his head and he became insufferable. He was a jerk to other players and in Vegas to fans.
There was no reason but ego to approach that fan. I don’t care what he said or did there or in the past. If Geno was bothered by him move to the other side of the field. If he moves over get security or field manager a coach heck anyone but him going over. His ego wouldn’t let him ask for help.
As for him and his playing. He had a good half of a season in Seattle his first year. Then things got worse. He was good outside the 20’s but awful inside them. Both red zones he totally fell apart. Do we remember the snap that he missed then kicked the ball tried to pick it up again muffed the ball and I forget the rest but we ended up over 15 yards behind the ball instead of 5.
He got into altercations on and off the field. Pushing and yelling then he would go put his head down and pout. The pouting was what got me. Geno has had a half a season of good play. He rode that to get contracts worth way more than what he made from all his contracts together.
I could care less if the teams that are being tied to him sign him. This could be me throwing manure on the dumpster fire that is Geno. I guess it is a bit petty. I don’t think anyone should sign him but with the QBs being the way they are he will be on a team and will be harder to live with. I feel bad for the fans of the team that signs him.
That was a bit longer than I thought. Sorry if you didn’t read it all my whole point was I feel sorry for the fans of the team that signs him.
You’re good, brother.