The NFL owners’ meetings in Florida on Wednesday, April 2, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made it clear that the team intends to add more depth to a quarterback room that currently includes only McCarthy and Brett Rypien — the latter of whom finished last season as No. 4 on the depth chart, relegating him to the practice squad. “We want [McCarthy] to be our starting quarterback for a long time,” Adofo-Mensah told NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The Minnesota Vikings have made it obvious that J.J. McCarthy is their guy going forward, and he is the frontrunner to capture the QB1 job during training camp this summer.
“Obviously he had an injury and a setback, but we’re excited about everything he’s done from that point, and we’re going to go forward with that. We’re gonna look to obviously always add depth to that room, to upgrade it.” Who that quarterback might be remains up in the air, but there are only so many viable options remaining.Minnesota appears to have all but shut the door on an acquisition of Aaron Rodgers after a week or so of deliberation late last month. However, Rodgers remains a free agent despite a standing offer from the Pittsburgh Steelers, who read like the only viable option remaining for him with the Vikings ostensibly off the table. If Rodgers is 100% out of the mix, then the conversation likely comes down to available veterans who can both help shepherd McCarthy through his second season (though one that will serve as his rookie campaign in many ways) and step in and play competent QB if McCarthy struggles mightily and/or suffers another injury.
The three veteran names remaining with the most history of success, but who also won’t pose an overwhelming threat to McCarthy’s starting job or his status with the fans should the young QB struggle, are Ryan Tannehill, Joe Flacco and Carson Wentz. Rodgers is looking for a starting job, one last payday and a final shot at glory. Tannehill was looking for something similar last year, which is why he didn’t take any job offers and remained a free agent all season long while waiting for an opportunity to start somewhere that never materialized.
Tannehill turns 37 years old this summer and just sidelined himself for an entire season. However, he has a winning record across a dozen years in the league, roughly 100 more TD passes than INTs, as well as a Pro Bowl and a trip to the AFC Championship Game on his resumé. Minnesota has already been in touch with him, though nothing solid has yet come of that contact. Flacco, 40, is a former Super Bowl champion who started multiple games for the Indianapolis Colts last season and the Cleveland Browns the year prior, leading Cleveland to a playoff trip. He remains a free agent and is seeking to play at least one more NFL season.
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