The Minnesota Vikings may be headed toward another quarterback reset, and one latest 2027 NFL mock draft has them taking a swing on a Big Ten passer to start the process.
With J.J. McCarthy expected to battle Kyler Murray for the QB1 job when training camp opens later this month, the early read from beat reporters who have watched the offseason work is that Murray has the edge.
Even if that holds and he plays well in 2026, Minnesota still may not have him locked in for the long haul. Murray signed a one-year, $1.3 million deal in March that includes a no-tag clause, which prevents the Vikings from using the franchise tag to keep him.
That uncertainty is exactly why Paul M. Banks of Giants Wire has Minnesota taking Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin with the 13th overall pick in his latest mock.
Banks wrote, "The Vikings may be ready to give up [and move on] from JJ McCarthy sooner than you think. #JustSayin".
Sayin is coming off a huge 2025 season, completing 301 of 392 passes for 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. At 6-foot-1 and 208 pounds, his size could push him down some boards, but the buzz around him is still loud. He’s currently No. 2 on PFF’s 2027 Big Board, and another season like the one he just put together could put him firmly in the top five.
If that happens, Minnesota might have a problem. A team sitting at No. 13 would likely need to trade up to get him, unless the season goes sideways enough to put the Vikings in position to land a quarterback of Sayin’s caliber without moving.
For now, the quarterback battle is the headline heading into camp. But the bigger question may be whether Minnesota’s long-term answer comes not this year, but in next year’s draft. Sayin, at least on paper, looks like the kind of franchise quarterback the Vikings have been chasing for decades.
In Other News...
Vikings Fans Wont Like Where Kevin OConnell Just Landed
A recent NFC North coach ranking from Freddie Boston of Lombardi Ave did not do Kevin OConnell any favors, slotting the Vikings head coach fourth in the division. The placement was tied to a familiar concern around Minnesota: OConnell has guided some strong teams, but the overall body of work still leaves questions when compared with the rest of the divisions coaching group.
The bigger issue is the inconsistency that has followed the Vikings under OConnell, with strong stretches in even-numbered years and more uneven results in odd-numbered ones. In a division that keeps getting tougher, that kind of volatility is exactly what makes the upcoming season feel so important for Minnesota, especially with pressure building to show the program can sustain success rather than just flash it. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin O'Connell Just Kept The Vikings' QB Drama Alive
Kevin OConnell spent part of his appearance on The Dan Patrick Show doing what coaches often try to do in quarterback situations like this: keep the conversation open without tipping his hand. He framed the competition between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy as part of Minnesotas larger push to elevate the quarterback position, stressing that internal competition matters and that the club wants the process handled on a clear timeline before the regular season arrives.
Murray remains the name most observers point to as the frontrunner, but OConnell was careful not to lean into that publicly, leaving the door open for the battle to carry through training camp. The Vikings have no interest in letting the decision drift too deep into August, and with McCarthy trying to build on his first season as a starter, the next stretch should tell plenty about how firm the pecking order really is. [Read more 🡒]
This Vikings Rookie Class Could Force A Familiar Debate
The Vikings 2026 draft was shaped by a different hand than the one fans have grown used to, with Rob Brzezinski running the board as interim general manager after Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired in late January. Brzezinski leaned hard into defense, using four of the first five picks on that side of the ball and adding linemen Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, safety Jakobe Thomas and fullback-tight end Max Bredeson to a roster that needed help in more than one place.
That approach has already created the kind of summer conversation Minnesota has been missing for a while: which rookies can actually force their way onto the field right away. Banks and Orange could be asked to help up front, Thomas has a path at safety with Harrison Smiths future still unsettled, and Bredeson may be pushed into a larger role by simple roster math. For a team that has not gotten enough consistent return from recent drafts, the possibility of multiple first-year contributors is exactly the sort of debate that can shape how this class is remembered. [Read more 🡒]