The Vikings’ football brass has one, giant question its entire fan base will not-so-patiently await the answer to this offseason: Is J.J. McCarthy Plan A to be under center at the start of the 2026 season?
More clues to that conclusion are likely to appear in the coming week, when coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah meet with the media and respond to what figures to be a bevy of McCarthy-centric queries.
The Vikings had a front-row seat to what really equated to Year 1 of the signal caller’s NFL development. And while there were numerous stops and starts to the campaign, a solid, 10-game sample size was constructed.
McCarthy demonstrated escapability, arm strength, passion and an ability to make plays in the biggest moments.
He also showed inaccuracy, inconsistency, poor decision making and an inability to stay on the field.
The overall consensus: Not great.
Maybe those were all traits you’d expect to see at some level from a quarterback who turns 23 years this month. But the hope was McCarthy would be good enough to steer the ship on a championshipish-caliber team in 2025. Instead, he’s one of the major reasons the Vikings are spending Wildcard Weekend on the couch.
Does that mean it’s time for Minnesota to move on with McCarthy, or have him step aside for a more reliable option in 2026?
How can we answer that before knowing who the Vikings are? The real shame of last season is that even just competent quarterback play likely would have pushed the Vikings into the playoffs. That might not be the case in 2026.
Harrison Smith is likely retiring. Eric Wilson may sign elsewhere. And, perhaps most important, defensive coordinator Brian Flores — one of the top two or three defensive coaches in football at the moment — is a free agent who could leave for a head coaching gig, or even make a lateral move for a larger salary.
If Flores and Wilson both depart, it’s not a given that Minnesota will have a similarly dominant defense in 2026. And if there is a drop off on that end, average play under center won’t vault the Vikings into any higher competitive stratosphere.
There was a path for Minnesota to contend for real things in 2025. The same doors may not be open next season.
If that’s the case, another year of McCarthy as ‘The Man’ may make sense. He showed enough potential to be a worthwhile project if you’re going to be an average, or below average team, anyway.
But if Flores is back and Minnesota feels it again has the personnel to compete, then quarterback insurance — at minimum — must be acquired. You cannot punt on potential contention for a second straight season in the name of a single player’s development that might not bear fruit.
When the time ultimately comes this spring to make a decision on the quarterback room, O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah should spend less time reflecting and more evaluating the other side of the ball.
If they again believe they have a championship-level defense, a move must be made under center, whether that’s through free agency or trade, regardless of the assets required to upgrade.
When it comes to the future of J.J. McCarthy, perhaps it’s Flores who truly holds the keys.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 21: J.J. McCarthy #9 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after his rushing touchdown against the New York Giants in the second quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium on December 21, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
Related Articles
Vikings kicker Will Reichard finally gets his flowers
Dallas Turner says he’s just ‘scratching the surface’ for the Vikings
If Vikings want to add another quarterback, here are some options
The Loop NFL Picks: Wild Card weekend
Why did J.J. McCarthy struggle throwing to Justin Jefferson?
Leave a Reply