The Minnesota Vikings have a quarterback problem.
And it’s not that they are about to become the first team to start an undrafted rookie free agent at that most important of positions since the Giants turned to Tommy “Cutlets” DeVito a few years back in another act of desperation. Expectations are decidedly low as Max Brosmer, who toiled previously in obscurity for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and New Hampshire Wildcats, makes his first NFL start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, but that’s not really the heart of the issue. And neither is the sad reality that J.J. McCarthy has spent most of his brief professional career injured.
No, the overriding concern with this franchise that has nose-dived in 2025 as precipitously as it rose a year ago is how McCarthy has struggled leading an offense that was the envy of most of the league a year ago. And “struggled” might be too generous a verb because the second-year player has yet to put much on film or the stat sheet that would indicate he has any business being at the helm of an NFL team, let alone one that almost won the mighty NFC North a year ago with a 14-3 record and allowed Sam Darnold to walk so that McCarthy, recovering from surgery during his rookie campaign, could take over.
Yes, it has been a small sample size, and no one should reach a permanent verdict on what the former 10th overall pick can become. But the results he has produced are leading evaluators around the league to a singular conclusion: The Vikings need to add a veteran NFL quarterback to their roster this offseason and be willing to spend a decent amount to do so. McCarthy, who is in the concussion protocol after missing a good chunk of the first half of the season with an ankle injury, doesn’t just require a grizzled presence to help show him the way; his 2025 season demands that the franchise seek alternatives who could win the job for the 2026 season.
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“Absolutely, they do,” said one longtime NFL executive who was heavily involved in the drafting of multiple quarterbacks in the first round and who also scouted McCarthy and his draft class closely. The executive spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not permitted to speak about players on other teams. “I still haven’t given up on the kid. I had him fifth in that class and [Michael] Penix sixth among the 2024 first-rounders. And I’m giving him time before I make a real judgment on him because I think he’s smart and can process. But they need to find someone who can compete. Absolutely.”
Scouts are using terms such as “hyper,” “manic” and “sped-up” to describe McCarthy. He doesn’t seem at ease running an NFL offense, and it’s no secret that his coach at Michigan, former NFL quarterback Jim Harbaugh (now coach of the Chargers), put the youngster in enviable positions with a dominant defense and running game in college. McCarthy was raw, but his teammates loved his competitiveness, and he certainly had NFL athleticism, aptitude and arm strength.
But harnessing all of that has proved to be quite the challenge for Vikings Coach Kevin O’Connell, who has a sterling reputation as a thinker and quarterback developer. A former quarterback himself, O’Connell is a master schemer and has already proved he can win with guys such as Josh Dobbs, the aging Kirk Cousins or Nick Mullens in a pinch. But this just looks different with McCarthy.
During the summer, Vikings all-pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson spoke about how McCarthy’s passes arrive super hot. Jefferson noted the ball often came almost directly on a line and felt different from most quarterbacks he had worked with. McCarthy’s passes still lack arc, nuance and timing, yet he’s pushing the ball downfield with abandon (a gaudy 9.4 air yards per attempt) as if he’s a finished product.
“He’s still more of a thrower, not a passer,” said one NFL advance scout who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not permitted to speak about his reports and players on other teams. “O’Connell has to figure that out this offseason.”
McCarthy missed months of critical practice time as a rookie, which certainly set him back. But this also doesn’t look like a particularly easy or quick fix. This is not a case of a project quarterback falling into the hands of a coaching staff that has no business trying to prepare and develop him. McCarthy walked into a tuned-up scheme loaded with some of the best skill personnel in the NFL.
There are already concerns about durability and longevity. McCarthy has great mobility and is a willing runner, but he has scrambled less than many scouts expected, especially for someone struggling so mightily when he stays in the pocket. His running rate is lower than anticipated, yet the injuries are already mounting.
McCarthy seems to have cultivated no chemistry with standout tight end T.J. Hockenson — and tight ends are usually a young quarterback’s go-to guy — while Jefferson’s body language would suggest some growing frustration with just how out of sorts his quarterback has been.
Poor accuracy is something modern coaching can improve upon far better than even a decade ago, but a 54.1 completion percentage is troubling no matter how steep a curve you grade on. McCarthy’s 57.9 rating is far and away the worst among qualified passers (top 2025 pick Cam Ward is next worst at 75.7). McCarthy’s expected points added per dropback is a horrible minus-0.34, according to TruMedia; Cleveland Browns project Dillon Gabriel, who just lost his job to a sixth-round pick, was next worst at minus-0.19. McCarthy is also 33rd out of 34 passers in success rate (34.6 percent) and is dead last in interception rate (6.3 percent; the Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa is 33rd at 4.2 percent), negative play rate (19.5 percent; second worst is the Las Vegas Raiders’ Geno Smith at 14 percent) and turnover-worthy throw rate (7.5 percent; Tagovailoa is at 5.1 percent).
In a year in which many backups and older starters seem washed or just about washed (Russell Wilson, Carson Wentz, Aaron Rodgers and Cousins), perhaps signing a Jameis Winston (who showed how he can amplify an offense again last week) or Joe Flacco is in order. Trying a reclamation project such as recent first-round picks Anthony Richardson or Zach Wilson probably won’t cut it. Perhaps O’Connell would have eyes for Tagovailoa or the Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray if they become available this offseason?
Regardless of the direction they go, if the Vikings want to get real about winning next year, they better have a quarterback in the building who has already done it with at least relative consistency. Banking on a massive leap from McCarthy could make 2026 even less palatable that 2025.
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