The Minnesota Vikings were open about their plans of building a deeper quarterback room to compete with J.J. McCarthy next season and have already put out feelers to the rest of the NFL.
While attending the Panini Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, SKOR North’s Jason Harmon gathered intel from Vikings sources who were forthcoming about the upcoming plans at quarterback, which include interest in former No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts.
“The team still has faith in McCarthy but injuries are the main worry,” Harmon wrote in a January 29 X post. “One very connected MN source named Anthony Richardson as a likely option as well,” he added. “Early in the offseason, things could change, and teams don’t necessarily show their full hands this early, but interesting nonetheless.”
The Vikings have history with Richardson, whom Kevin O’Connell scouted throughout the 2023 pre-draft process. Brett Kollman also reported two years ago that the Vikings put a “massive” offer on the table to trade up for Richardson in that year’s draft.
“They were going to give away the entire farm,” Kollman said in 2024. “They were going to give everything, but it takes two to tango. Their trade partner thought that they were going to be too good, and so they went elsewhere.”
Richardson lost the Colts’ starting job to Daniel Jones last summer and is seemingly available by trade, with Indianapolis’ expressed interest in re-signing Jones.
“But, it takes two to…
Anthony Richardson & JJ McCarthy’s Careers Are Linked by Inexperience
GettyColts quarterback Anthony Richardson
Richardson and McCarthy’s careers have followed a similar trajectory so far, with both young quarterbacks struggling to get the needed reps to develop due to injuries.
Like McCarthy, Richardson entered the league at just 21 years old and saw limited action his rookie year, playing just four games before a season-ending AC joint injury.
Richardson went 6-5 as a starter during the 2024 season but was benched for Joe Flacco midseason. Accuracy was an issue for Richardson, who completed just 47.7% of his throws for 1,814 yards passing, eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
However, the dual-threat ability is there for Richardson, who rushed for 499 yards and six touchdowns on the ground in his second season.
Last season was a wash for Richardson, who barely saw the field with Jones as the starter. When Jones went down with a season-ending Achilles injury in December, Richardson was on injured reserve after he fractured his orbital after a resistance band snapped and hit him in the face in October.
Richardson is eligible to have his fifth-year option exercised this offseason, which would keep him under team control through the 2027 season at the cost of a $23 million cap hit in the final year.
If the Vikings landed Richardson in a trade, they could exercise the option. It would likely require a third- or fourth-round pick with Trey Lance‘s trade to the Dallas Cowboys as precedent.
But realistically, Richardson would be a one-year rental and would have to show significant promise in training camp to usurp McCarthy for the starting job.
Mac Jones Emerges as Another Vikings QB Option
GettyMac Jones of the San Francisco 49ers.
Along with the Richardson interest was confirmation that the Vikings are among many teams interested in San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones.
“Source with inside knowledge shared Mac Jones is definitely on the Vikings radar, but there are a number of other teams interested,” Harmon wrote on X.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan postured that he would be surprised if Jones wasn’t with San Francisco next season, driving up the bargaining price for the former New England Patriots first-rounder even further.
Jones fits the Vikings’ biggest priority of finding a veteran quarterback to lean on if McCarthy struggles or is injured next season. He is a more likely model of quarterback the Vikings are expected to pursue to pair with McCarthy over another unproven upside bet like Richardson.
Vikings Targeting Former Top-5 Pick Amid JJ McCarthy Concerns