Well, this team is never boring…
I had nearly finished an article about the Vikings’ quarterback situation, considering the Kyler Murray signing and the idea of a Murray-McCarthy-Brosmer/other quarterback room for 2026. Then, the Vikings unexpectedly re-signed Carson Wentz out of nowhere.
Now I don’t know what the heck is going on. Well, a bit more than usual for me, anyway.
Let’s go over the options, shall we?
It’s the Kyler Murray Show: Like those before it, featuring stars such as Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham, Jeff George, Brett Favre, Sam Bradford, Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold, and others, it’s a reboot.
Those had varying levels of success. Heck, some even achieved an impressive number here and there. But none managed to top the Nielsen ratings, let alone build a streak of seasons at or near the top of the heap.
And so, we’re back at it in 2026. Is it finally our moment? I’ve spent the past week or so getting familiar with Murray’s time in Arizona, including its ups and downs and the main reasons for the split. This includes Warren Ludford’s in-depth look at his career to date. There is a compelling argument that the situation was more the result of a poor organization failing a talented quarterback than the other way around. Even the much-discussed schematic issues within KOC’s offense seem greatly exaggerated and overblown. Will KOC need to make some adjustments to fit Murray’s strengths? Certainly. Will it require a complete overhaul of his offensive approach? Not at all.
To no one’s surprise, Murray played well when his supporting cast was at its best. I’ve always believed that quarterbacks often get too much credit when things go well and too much blame when they don’t. That’s a discussion for another time, but for now, the 2026 Vikings’ overall roster, offensive weapons, elite defense, and coaching staff will be the best Murray has had in the NFL. If he shows anything close to his best play in Arizona, it’ll be hard to argue against 10 wins as the floor for this team. However, as mentioned, this upcoming season will primarily focus on what happens in the playoffs.
Indeed, the relatively cautious approach Rob Brzezinski and his team have taken in free agency so far could have as much to do with preparing for a potential Murray extension, if everything goes as planned, as with balancing the financial ledger after some costly free-agent contracts. Before the Wentz signing, the Vikings had around $68 million in cap space next season. A significant number could also be carried over from this year if Brian O’Neill is extended (which is good) or if Jonathan Greenard is traded (which is bad). This could hypothetically enable a heavily front-loaded extension for Murray. Also, hitting on some of our early draft picks this year could reduce the need for future free-agent spending. That would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Wentz as insurance for Murray (and McCarthy): Everything is on the line for KOC in 2026. Playoff success is essential. Despite a promising final stretch, J.J. McCarthy finished the season ranked 35th in PFF overall grade, 38th in quarterback EPA/Play, 45th in completion percentage, and had a league-high 11% sack rate. The risk is too high, and the unknowns too great, to simply hand him the starting job again without additional security.
Enter Wentz, whose last season must be viewed through the lens of a shoulder injury that would land most of us in the hospital rather than starting behind center in an NFL game. Before sustaining the injury, Wentz executed KOC’s offense efficiently. He had two games with a QB rating over 100, completed nearly 70% of his passes, averaged 253 yards passing per game, and threw five touchdowns against two interceptions. With a full offseason back at 100% health, there’s reason to be optimistic about Wentz guiding the team if needed.
J.J. McCarthy is the Vikings’ Jordan Love: Just as Love sat three full seasons behind Aaron Rodgers before being handed the starting job in 2023, another full season behind Murray (and possibly) Wentz would amount to nearly two-and-a-half seasons not starting an NFL game. An additional year to work on his mechanics, on top of the 10 starts he had in 2025, will then make him QB1 in 2027 if Murray thrives and the Vikings get outbid, or if his season is underwhelming due to an unfortunate injury or performance. I’m fairly certain Wentz is not the long-term answer.
J.J. McCarthy’s time in Minnesota is over: As much as I hate this option, denying it isn’t a realistic choice. Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt. I remain unconvinced, but if the decision has been made to move on, it would contradict KOC’s often-repeated quote: “I believe that organizations fail young quarterbacks before young quarterbacks fail organizations.” Again, proceeding with a healthy dose of skepticism, but if the whispers and rumors about KOC preferring to go with Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones last year—or even signing Aaron Rodgers—are true, and if his heart was never fully in making McCarthy the guy for 2025, then the pieces of this puzzle start to align.
I mentioned this in my last article, and it’s worth repeating. Why? Because nothing has changed in my mind.
All I know is this: I’m a huge fan of J.J. McCarthy and believe he’s still our QBOTF. Giving up after 10 starts would be incredibly misguided. I hate it with the intensity of a thousand suns. And if he goes on to be a great quarterback for another team and we’re back to square one in five years with no Super Bowl appearances, it could break a large part of the long-time fan base. That could be the final straw for those whose scars go back several decades. How much suffering can the human spirit endure? The Vikings seem to exist to answer that question.
There will be a genuine competition for the starting QB position in training camp. I saved this one for last because it’s the least likely scenario, though anything is possible. The Cubs finally won a World Series, and I actually recognized a new song on SiriusXM’s Hits 1 while in the car the other day. But the chances of J.J. McCarthy starting under center in Week 1 are probably less than 20%.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted earlier this week that he feels the starting quarterback job is still “fairly wide open,” but that seems to be the unconventional view. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said that Wentz would have remained the starter if he hadn’t gotten hurt last year. While The Athletic’s Alec Lewis added that many inside the Vikings organization believed the Vikings would have indeed made the playoffs if Wentz hadn’t suffered the season-ending injury.
So what does this likely mean? Murray is #1, with the real competition between McCarthy and Wentz for the backup spot. Unfortunately, it’s too early to guarantee McCarthy at #2. He’s probably the favorite, but he’ll need to prove himself in training camp. Based on what we know, Wentz won’t make it easy.
Yes, folks, not only is there no guarantee that a healthy McCarthy won’t be the emergency quarterback when the season starts, there’s even a chance he won’t be on the roster at all.
If you’d have told me this on draft night in 2024, I’d look at you quizzically before laughing. Then I’d quickly realize I do, in fact, root for the Minnesota Vikings, shake my head, and concede: “Yeah, that checks out.”
On a related note, it’s been 9,834 days since Daunte Culpepper was drafted. For those keeping track, that’s not in the current century, you know, because it’s 2026.
But at least it won’t be boring.
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