The Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback carousel continues to spin - and this week, it tossed Desmond Ridder off the ride.
On Tuesday, the team announced it had released Ridder, just days after signing him to serve as a third-string option behind Max Brosmer and John Wolford. The move comes as rookie J.J. McCarthy works his way back from a concussion suffered in Week 12 - a game that was, by all accounts, a tough one for the young QB.
McCarthy struggled mightily before exiting with the injury, and his absence in Week 13 didn’t exactly spark the offense. Brosmer, stepping in as the temporary starter, failed to provide any sort of lift. That left the Vikings with more questions than answers at the most important position on the field.
Now, with McCarthy trending toward full health, the team is reshuffling the depth chart. McCarthy returns to the QB1 role, Brosmer slides in as the backup, and Wolford returns to the practice squad. Ridder, the odd man out, is once again on the move.
For Ridder, this is another tough chapter in what’s become a nomadic NFL journey. Not long ago, he was starting games for the Atlanta Falcons and viewed as a potential long-term answer under center.
But since then, his stock has fallen sharply. Teams now see him more as a stopgap or emergency option than a viable starter.
The fact that Minnesota brought him in for a week - and then let him go as soon as McCarthy was healthy enough to suit up - speaks volumes.
It’s not just Ridder’s trajectory that’s concerning here. The Vikings themselves are in a precarious spot.
McCarthy is clearly the future - or at least, that’s the hope. But his early performances have been uneven, and the concussion only adds to the uncertainty.
Brosmer hasn’t shown enough to inspire confidence as a long-term backup, and Wolford is still developing on the practice squad.
This is a team that may need to revisit the quarterback position again soon, whether that means recommitting to McCarthy with better protection and support, or exploring other options in the offseason. The revolving door at quarterback has become a theme in Minnesota - and until someone grabs the job and holds onto it, it’s going to stay that way.
For now, McCarthy gets the nod again. The Vikings are betting on his upside. But if the past few weeks have shown us anything, it’s that this team is still searching for stability at the most critical position on the field.