The Vikings Told You This QB Situation Was Coming

Brad Rempel

The Minnesota Vikings signed Kyler Murray. I told you that wasn’t going to be the end of it. Then they signed Carson Wentz, too. They told you that was coming.

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Last season, Kevin O’Connell rode veteran signal caller Carson Wentz well beyond the timeline initially suggested for J.J. McCarthy to return from his ankle injury. Wentz took the field with something of a Terminator arm against the Los Angeles Chargers. He looked like a sacrificial lamb, and wound up needing season-ending surgery.

The Vikings’ Actions Made the QB Tension Easy to See

That was the reality, and yet it was still one O’Connell chose rather than put J.J. McCarthy back on the field. We have since heard of the schism in decision-making between the former general manager and his coach.

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) fires a pass on Aug 10, 2024, during second-quarter action in a preseason matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The rookie passer showed confidence and clean mechanics while settling into his first NFL reps, drawing encouraging reactions from the home crowd eager for a glimpse of the future. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.

This offseason, everyone within the organization said to expect a room overhaul. Somehow, the outcome is still shocking to many.

There was never a reality in which McCarthy was going to be the unquestioned starter for O’Connell this season. In veering from Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones last offseason, that’s what happened. With Kwesi Adofo-Mensah gone, O’Connell wasn’t going to let that happen again.

There was also never a reality in which a competition would take place when the competitor was Kyler Murray. Sure, the Arizona Cardinals cast him off, but he comes with a floor that even Darnold didn’t possess before O’Connell turned him into a 14-game winner. A competition that Murray was destined to win may have ensued, but he didn’t sign, thinking a path to playing wasn’t available.

On Oct 5, 2025, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (11) dropped back to throw during the third quarter of the International Series matchup against the Cleveland Browns. The veteran passer guided Minnesota’s offense on the overseas stage, showing poise as the Vikings sought to generate momentum in front of a global audience. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.

Even after Murray signed, a reunion with Wentz made sense. They could have pivoted to a player like Mitch Trubisky or Jimmy Garoppolo, but as the Washington Commanders did with Marcus Mariota, they stuck with the veteran they know. Wentz is a stopgap should Murray go down in the middle of a game, and he already proved capable of running O’Connell’s offense.

The only competition left is whether McCarthy can salvage enough value to play in a preseason game for the team that drafted him 10th overall. He’s very likely looking at a roster spot as Minnesota’s QB3. Could he be swapped in a change of scenery for Anthony Richardson? Do the two sides simply keep kicking the can down the road?

May 7, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Kyler Murray in attendance during UFC 274 at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

McCarthy is a young kid, and he showed some immaturity at times last season as well. There’s a very real possibility that he still has a very successful NFL career. The problem is that his timeline no longer matches up with where the Vikings need to be.

The franchise told you this. The coaches and front office told you this. McCarthy’s play suggested it as well. Any outrage or surprise at this point signifies a lack of attention as to what was taking place.

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