The Minnesota Vikings‘ hunt for additions to the quarterback room has no doubt already begun just one day after the end of the regular season, but the context of that search is the most relevant factor at this early stage.
The question Minnesota must answer is this: Does the team seek competent insurance against injuries and/or more struggles for JJ McCarthy entering his third NFL season, or does it want a viable starting option to truly compete for the QB1 job in camp who also has the potential to remain the answer under center for years into the future?
There are a couple of players available, or potentially available, who can straddle that line. The two best are perhaps Malik Willis of the Green Bay Packers, who will be a free agent in March, or Mac Jones of the San Francisco 49ers, for whom the Vikings would need to trade a draft pick.
But if Minnesota can’t acquire either Willis or Jones, or if the team’s circumstances dictate it follow one path (insurance or competition) more directly than the other, the options become more defined.
For example, if the Vikings favor a veteran mentor on a one-year insurance policy to give McCarthy full buy-in for at least the start of his third season, then a player like Russell Wilson makes sense.
Another QB who fits that mold is Joe Flacco, who announced Monday that he does not intend to retire and made some other telling comments indicating that a landing spot like Minnesota offers the precise set of circumstances he’s seeking.
Joe Flacco Expressly Stated He Does Not Intend to Retire
GettyQuarterback Joe Flacco of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Flacco spoke with media members on January 5 and made his career path and preferences exceedingly clear.
“Joe Flacco said he’s not considering retirement and is hopeful he can be a little more selective when looking at his next shot,” Joe Dannenman of FOX19 Cincinnati reported via X.
“I love being in the locker room, I love being part of a group of guys like this in general,” Flacco said. “And I’ve had a lot of fun here the last couple months.”
Joe Flacco Played Better, For Less Money Than JJ McCarthy in 2025
GettyQuarterback Joe Flacco of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Flacco proved he can still sling it when equipped with talented wide receivers, like those that exist in Cincinnati (Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins) as well as those under contract in Minnesota (Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison).
The 40-year-old quarterback, who turns 41 later this month, finished the year with nine appearances and six starts in Cincinnati. He threw for 1,664 yards, 13 TDs and four INTs on 61.7 percent passing with the Bengals.
Flacco swooped in late in the 2023 campaign to become the Cleveland Browns‘ starter for the last five games, leading that team to a 4-1 record and a playoff appearance. Based on what he did in Cincinnati, and comparing that to how McCarthy played in Minnesota, it is hard to argue that the Vikings wouldn’t have been more successful with Flacco.
Obviously, he isn’t a longterm solution. However, Flacco played on a one-year deal in 2025 totaling $4.25 million. He still has the arm strength and processing skills to play QB1 at a high level, particularly with a good roster around him, which Minnesota can offer.
On a one-year contract in 2026, Flacco can serve as the Vikings’ fallback plan behind McCarthy. And if things in Minnesota deteriorate quickly, the franchise could trade for a franchise QB ahead of the midseason deadline and transition away from both Flacco and McCarthy during the second half of the year.
48,000-Yard QB Won’t Retire, Emerges as Vikings’ Alternative to JJ McCarthy