By Michael GallagherShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe Minnesota Vikings may be regretting their decision to let quarterback Sam Darnold walk in free agency and sign a $100.5 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks.
Darnold resurrected his career last season in Minnesota, throwing for a career-best 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns while making his first Pro Bowl and leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record and playoff appearance.
But because 2024 10th overall pick J.J. McCarthy was waiting in the wings, the Vikings chose to go with the younger, cheaper option — a decision they may be second-guessing after McCarthy’s dreadful performance in Sunday’s 3-6 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
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The 22-year-old signal-caller completed 12 of 19 passes for 87 yards and two interceptions. He fell to 2-4 as a starter, and the Vikings fell to four games out of the division lead.
Thugh McCarthy has seemingly had the deck stacked against him during the first two years of his NFL career — he missed his rookie season with a knee injury, and he missed five games earlier this season with an ankle injury — the Vikings do need to think big-picture in terms of McCarthy’s future.
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Some have already questioned if McCarthy will be Minnesota’s unquestioned starter in 2026, which is exactly what The Athletic’s Dianna Russini asked during a recent appearance on the “Hoge and Jahns” podcast.
“I think the question that we got to start asking — and this is going to get a headline — is J.J. McCarthy going to be a Minnesota Viking quarterback next season?” Russini asked.
“I think it’s a fair question,” host Adam Hoge replied. “I think I would say he probably is still there; however, who’s brought in to compete with him? Like you know Anthony Richardson this year. It’s a weird situation though, because next year will be J.J.’s third year, even though it only feels like it’s his first year…and still not a lot of starts under his belt.”
The Vikings currently have the No. 12 overall pick in the 2026 draft, and if that class is as loaded with QBs as some draft experts expect, it’s possible the Vikings could draft McCarthy’s eventual replacement.
Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Alabama’s Ty Simpson, Oregon’s Dante Moore, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, and Oklahoma’s John Mateer could all be potential options if Minnesota goes that route.
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