Kyle Rudolph Critical of Vikings' Handling of QB Situation

McCarthy's first season as the Vikings' starting QB was a roller coaster that left many fans and analysts questioning whether the former Michigan star could be the team's QB of the future. Minnesota now heads into the offseason looking to add a veteran to the quarterback room, to either compete with McCarthy for the starting job or be a reliable backup.

For their part, head coach Kevin O'Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have been unwilling to commit to McCarthy as the starter going forward. Rudolph wants his former team to "bring in a veteran to compete with J.J."

"This doesn't mean that J.J. can't be your quarterback of the future, but just handing him over a Super Bowl-caliber roster and saying, 'OK, go for it,'" continued Rudolph. "and not having a veteran that is in that room and competing against him, I ultimately think that you're not setting him up for success."

Rudolph pointed to the Vikings' border rivals, the Packers, who transitioned from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love over the last 30 years.

"We lived it in the NFC North for two straight decades because of the way the Packers transitioned their quarterbacks," said Rudolph. "I think the Vikings organization realizes that they're set up to win right now. And J.J. can still be the guy, and ultimately we can see another veteran quarterback, maybe a guy who's trying to find a home, has played good football, but would be willing to come in on a one-year deal and compete. I think that's ultimately how you'll get the best out of J.J. and set the team up for success in 2026."

There has been plenty of speculation that a trade for a veteran like San Francisco's Mac Jones or even Arizona's Kyler Murray could make sense for the Vikings this offseason. Minnesota could also be forced to revisit the Aaron Rodgers speculation that engulfed the team last spring. When asked about who he thinks would fit, Rudolph appeared to agree with the speculation already out there.

"I think you got Mac Jones," said Rudolph. "To me, if I'm looking at that list, Aaron (Rodgers), if he wants to come back and make a run with an incredibly talented roster in a division that he's very familiar with, completely agree. ... But yeah, bringing somebody in, doesn't really matter who it is. There's plenty of high-caliber veteran quarterbacks that could come in, and Kevin (O'Connell) always gets the most out of them. There's no better quarterback whisperer than KOC, and I think he would be a great spot if you're a veteran quarterback like a Tua (Tagovailoa), trying to revitalize your career, if he is on the market. Wouldn't be a bad place to look."

One name Rudolph doesn't think is realistic: Kirk Cousins.

"I do think Kirk would be a guy that would make sense back in Minnesota, but I just don't see him getting out of Atlanta," Rudolph said. "He's under contract there, they were willing to pay him $45 million to be the backup, and now you bring in a head coach and a play caller that he's very familiar with. So I don't see him getting out of Atlanta."