Vikings Get Bad News on $75 Million QB as NFL Free Agency Officially Opens

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Max Dible | Last updated Mar 12, 2025 4:52 PM ET

The Minnesota Vikings chose not to spend above market value to keep Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones, opting instead for a strategy focused on J.J. McCarthy and finding a suitable backup QB to play behind him and/or potentially compete for the starting job in 2025.

The primary key to success on that path is McCarthy developing and maturing quickly in his second professional season, albeit the first one in which he will play snaps in games that actually count. The secondary key is finding the right signal-caller, likely a veteran, to slot into the position group alongside him.

How McCarthy fares isn't a question that can be answered now, but who will help to guide, support, push and back him up is a matter of significant importance over the next several days.

The new NFL season officially opened at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 12, and with it came news that one quarterback the Vikings have long admired and to whom they were recently linked is now off the board.

Marcus Mariota has re-upped with the Washington Commanders on a one-year contract worth $8 million, taking one of the better veteran fits behind McCarthy out of play.

Darren Wolfson of KSTP appeared on "SKOR North" Tuesday and specifically linked Mariota to the Vikings.

"There's still people in this front office going back years that have been fans of Marcus Mariota," Wolfson said.

Mariota has over 16,000 passing yards and nearly 75 starts on his NFL resumé, with a career record of 34-40. He played excellently in limited time filling in for Jayden Daniels last year, completing 34-of-44 pass attempts for 364 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions across four appearances.

Entering his age-32 season, Mariota has earned north of $75 million across his 10-year NFL tenure. He is talented enough that he could have filled in for McCarthy if the situation demanded it without threatening McCarthy's hold on the starting job or his position as the Vikings' franchise QB moving forward.

Minnesota must now focus on other free-agent options, several of whom like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson are likely seeking jobs where they can start Week 1.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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