Vikings have a plan to replace J.J. McCarthy

The Minnesota Vikings went from winning 14 games in 2024 to not even making the playoffs in 2025.

They let Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones go and didn't pursue any veteran last offseason, and that decision to commit to J.J. McCarthy came back to bite them.

Now, with former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah no longer in the picture, the Vikings will likely go after a signal-caller to compete with their former first-round pick.

According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, they will be very active in the market for veterans who get cut by their teams.

The Vikings could have several QB candidates

“One of those QB’s that’s got guaranteed money, that the Vikings can pay the minimum, if and when he’s released, and they would probably have dibs on those guys because everyone wants to play quarterback in Minnesota,” Pelissero said on the Vikings' YouTube channel.

Kirk Cousins sounds like the most obvious candidate who fits that box. The likes of Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith and maybe even Kyler Murray could also be in play under those circumstances.

As things stand now, the Vikings are $42.6 million over the salary cap, according to Over The Cap. They can't afford to make a run at someone like Malik Willis, but they can get someone on a league-minimum deal.

That quarterback would still be paid in full, just not by the Vikings but by the team that released them.

McCarthy is young and promising, but has struggled with injuries and inconsistent play.

And even though he might still turn out to be a star, the Vikings are on a different timeline right now.