The Minnesota Vikings did manage to obtain a winning-record in 2025, something that given their struggles on offense and the multiple injuries to starting quarterback, JJ McCarthy, was very impressive.
The third-ranked total defense was the Vikings’ saving grace, but much of their good work done this season could be undercut in 2026 with the very possible departure of defensive coordinator, Brian Flores, who is interviewing for multiple head coaching jobs, including with the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.
And offensively, Minnesota knows there is much work to be done. McCarthy showed signs of improvement as the season went on, but critics will argue that his “good” games in early-mid December came against the Washington Commanders and the Dallas Cowboys, two of the bottom three defenses in the NFL last season.
Vikings Insider Believes ‘Nothing Is Off The Table’ For QB Moves
So, it may not come as the biggest surprise that Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports that “nothing is off the table” with regards to the team making a play for an expensive “high-dollar” quarterback in 2026 as firm competition for their former 10th overall pick.
“As I’ve written in recent weeks, nothing is off the table with regard to how aggressive the Vikings may be to build what the team’s leadership has described as a “deep and talented” quarterback room.” Lewis wrote on Friday.
Lewis admits that there could be difficulties in pulling off this “deep and talented” QB room objective, both in finding a quality signal caller on the market and in managing that extra salary with the cap.
“For one thing, teams rarely part with elite quarterbacks. Why would they? Understandably, teams prefer not to live in the treacherous and uncertain world that the Vikings currently occupy.” Lewis continued.
“Then there are the cap considerations. The Vikings have enough issues to sort through already. Adding a massive and lengthy figure to the books would call for an all-time performance from cap experts Rob Brzezinski and Emily Badis.”
Are The Vikings Looking To Replace JJ McCarthy?
As Lewis notes, the Vikings have publicly been very vocal about their trust in their young QB, despite the ups-and-downs of his first two seasons with the team since being drafted out of Michigan back in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“Then there is the question of what this would mean for young quarterback J.J. McCarthy, in whom the team has repeatedly expressed confidence. All of these factors make a major swing like this difficult to envision.”
However, despite some regular season success, Minnesota has continued to struggle in the postseason since the arrivals of Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
“It’s one thing to say that O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah haven’t won a playoff game in their four seasons here. It’s another to note that this ownership group has only gotten past the wild-card round twice in the last 15 years.”
The pair – particularly Adofo-Mensah – know that sustained failure in the playoffs, or the ability to reach it, will ultimately culminate in the end of their respective tenures with the organization.
‘Nothing Off The Table’ For Vikings Offseason QB Acquisitions