Insider updates Vikings' intriguing quarterback situation

Quarterback Sam Darnold guided the 2024 Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 regular-season record but remains on track to reach free agency when the new league year opens on March 12. Meanwhile, first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy continues to recover from the full meniscus repair that sidelined him for his entire rookie campaign. 

For an article updated on Monday, NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated touched upon Minnesota's interesting quarterback situation that could impact how other teams address the position this offseason.

"The Minnesota Vikings are really happy with J.J. McCarthy," Breer explained. "He’s back moving around and throwing and will have a full offseason following August’s meniscus repair and a subsequent second procedure in the fall that turned out to be more of a cleanup than anything else. ...McCarthy’s progress over the spring and summer — and his performance in the Vikings’ preseason opener against the Raiders — complicated Minnesota’s plan to start Darnold and redshirt the rookie." 

Specifically, McCarthy completed 11-of-17 pass attempts for 188 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against Las Vegas on Aug. 10. While it's widely believed Darnold would've entered September as Minnesota's starter had McCarthy stayed healthy, it's possible the 10th overall pick of last year's draft could've been allowed to compete for the QB1 job through the club's final preseason contest. 

With McCarthy serving as a spectator, Darnold enjoyed the best season of his career. Per Pro Football Reference, he ranked sixth in the NFL with a 102.5 passer rating, fifth with 4,319 passing yards and fifth with 35 touchdowns through the air. However, he played poorly in the Week 18 matchup at the Detroit Lions that determined the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed and then produced a dud in the 27-9 wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Darnold completed 18-of-41 passes for 166 yards with no touchdowns in the 31-9 defeat at Detroit. He then went 25-for-40 with 245 passing yards, a touchdown, an interception and a second-quarter fumble that was returned for a score against the Rams.

Despite those eight rough quarters of action, Breer indicated that the Minnesota front office "almost owes it" to veteran players to do whatever possible to hold onto Darnold for at least one more season. The Vikings can afford to retain his rights for 2025 via the franchise tag and start him over McCarthy for another year. Meanwhile, history shows head coach Kevin O'Connell could face somewhat of a locker-room mutiny if Darnold goes elsewhere and McCarthy then looks more like a project for the future than a playoff-caliber starter throughout his first season in the lineup.