The 2026 NFL season is still months away, but Minnesota Vikings‘ J.J. McCarthy is facing the pressure of finding consistency. With the offseason underway with the Vikings, the question surrounds what the front office will do at QB.
Will Minnesota pursue a player who understands that he’s a backup, or will they push for a signal-caller who challenges McCarthy for the starting job? Nonetheless, if McCarthy is the starter Week 1 for the Vikings next season, it could be a make-or-break season to determine whether he’s the long-term answer under center.
Moreover, CBS Sports listed seven quarterbacks who have the most to prove in 2026. NFL analyst Ran Carthon believes that McCarthy not needing to rehab this offseason could prove helpful for him heading into his third season in the NFL.
However, he still expects the Vikings to bring in a QB that can take advantage of a team that wants to win now, should McCarthy stumble.
“For J.J. McCarthy and for the Minnesota Vikings, for that matter, this offseason is going to be critical because J.J. is going to need to approach this offseason from the standpoint of being able to work on his game and not have to be rehabbing an injury,” Carthon said during a Jan. 21 appearance on CBS Sports HQ. “So this is going to be really key for him.
“I do believe that the Minnesota Vikings will have a backup plan in terms of a veteran quarterback to bring in there because this team is too good a team to sit and wait for this guy to develop, because you’re going to miss the primes of a lot of really good players that they have on offense and defense.”
Minnesota Would Be Wise to Find a Reliable QB2
This past season, McCarthy had a passer rating of 72.6 with 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 10 games for the Vikings, per StatMuse.
On the Jan. 20 edition of “Up & Adams,” former Vikings pass-catcher Kyle Rudolph believes that Minnesota need to bring in a quarterback who can compete with McCarthy.
“I think they have to bring in a veteran quarterback to compete with J.J. I think it’s a big mistake that they made last year, just handing over the reins and not having a veteran to compete with them,” Rudolph said. “There certainly were a few options, one of which is playing this weekend in the NFC Championship game. Another one, in Daniel Jones, was in the locker room last year.
“I’m a huge fan of and absolutely love his game. And this doesn’t mean that J.J. can’t be your quarterback of the future, but just handing him over a Super Bowl caliber roster and saying, ‘Okay, go for it,’ and not having a veteran that is in that room and competing against them, I ultimately think that you’re not setting him up for success.”
Vikings Should’ve Taken Different Approach With J.J. McCarthy
Rudolph also pointed to a different path the Vikings could have taken, saying the team may have been better off using the Green Bay Packers‘ approach, letting a young quarterback spend a couple of seasons learning on the sideline before being asked to take over as the starter.
“We’ve seen it so many times with the Jordan Loves and Aaron Rodgers,” Rudolph added. “We lived it in the NFC North for two straight decades because of the way the Packers transitioned their quarterbacks.
“I think the Vikings organization realizes that they’re set up to win right now, and J.J. can still be the guy. Ultimately, we can see another veteran quarterback, maybe a guy who’s trying to find a home, has played good football, but would be willing to come in on a one-year deal and compete.”
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