The Minnesota Vikings were a team speculatively linked to Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud amid uncertainty about his future.
The Vikings are in a place other teams hope to avoid: their roster, at least as constituted over the past few seasons, has been playoff and, maybe, even Super Bowl-ready, save for quarterback, and Stroud has put high-level play on tape for a full season before.
Minnesota got a harsh reminder of its situation in recent feedback on Stroud.
C.J. Stroud Discussion Leads to Vikings Shot
GettyThe Houston Texans were warned to avoid a situation with C.J. Stroud like the one the Minnesota Vikings are in.
The Vikings were one of several teams that appeared primed as potential trade suitors for the 2023 Pro Bowler and Offensive Rookie of the Year, Stroud, who remains without a long-term extension heading into his fourth season.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio has since shot down trade speculation, but still faces a contract quandary regarding the QB.
In strong feedback from various unnamed NFL sources, the Vikings caught a shot.
“They should do whatever they can to avoid ending up looking like Minnesota,” one NFC executive who was polled said, per ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime, who published the feedback in an article on May 2.
The Vikings have signed Kyler Murray in free agency, and they still have 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.
Still, it is clear to everyone that this was not ‘Plan A’ in Minnesota.
Vikings’ Situation Years in the Making
GettyJ.J. McCarthy’s short tenure with the Minnesota Vikings has been tumultuous.
Things first turned when the Vikings chose to draft McCarthy, trading up from 11th to 10th overall to select him in the 2024.
That decision cost them four-time Pro Bowler Kirk Cousins (who did not fare well in his next stop with the Atlanta Falcons) that offseason. The Vikings signed Sam Darnold to replace Cousins, and he led them to a 14-win season as McCarthy missed the campaign due to a knee injury.
However, the Vikings let Darnold leave in free agency as part of a path-clearing for McCarthy.
McCarthy struggled with accuracy and durability in Year 2, while Darnold led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl win.
The Vikings had Daniel Jones to end 2025 but did not want to commit to him over McCarthy, leading him to sign with the Indianapolis Colts. The Vikings also passed on Aaron Rodgers, despite strong apparent interest from the four-time MVP and 10-time Pro Bowler.
Now, the Vikings are still trying to say the right things about McCarthy while also bringing in the veteran Pro Bowler, Murray, to compete with him. They also re-signed Super Bowl champion Carson Wentz this offseason, and they still have 2024 undrafted Max Brosmer under contract.
Spotlight on Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell
GettyMinnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has called the shots at QB.
The Vikings’ uncertainty at quarterback has left the spotlight on head coach Kevin O’Connell in a different way. He previously touted his resistance to colleagues’ and fans’ overtures regarding quarterback prospects during his tenure.
McCarthy, perhaps more than in other situations around the league, then, is inextricably linked to his head coach.
O’Connell has been known as a quarterback whisperer.
One can certainly point to the injuries McCarthy has endured and how they have impacted his development. The decision to select him will still ultimately fall back on O’Connell, just as the faults of the roster as a whole fell on former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
That, arguably more than any other reason, would be a cause for hope for McCarthy in Minnesota. That is, were it not for Murray’s presence.
The Vikings, who may never have a chance to land Stroud, certainly need to find a solution.
Vikings Fuel Warning for Texans After C.J. Stroud Trade Speculation