The Vikings’ quarterback picture has turned murky fast, and Thursday’s update only sharpened the focus on what comes next.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Carson Wentz will start against the Bills on Monday while Kyler Murray is “week to week” with a hamstring injury. O’Connell also wouldn’t say whether Wentz would keep the job the rest of the season when Dane Mizutani of The Pioneer Press asked about it.
That uncertainty matters because Murray’s hold on the job was already shaky. He has now missed two games this season because of a concussion, and his play has been uneven at best. Even if he gets back on the field before the year is over, the idea of an extension has taken a real hit.
Minnesota’s bigger problem is what comes after this season. There is no quarterback under contract beyond 2025, and general manager Nolan Teasley has to find an answer at the most important position in sports.
Right now, the Vikings’ quarterback room doesn’t offer a clean solution. Murray and Wentz are both on one-year deals from this offseason, and Max Brosmer is in the final year of a two-year contract he signed as an undrafted free agent. None of the three has done enough to lock down a long-term future, though Minnesota’s history with backup quarterbacks and playoff runs leaves at least some room for Wentz to change the conversation.
The organization is still dealing with the fallout from its recent quarterback misfires. Former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was fired largely because of how he handled the position last season, and Teasley’s first major move was sending the quarterback he drafted 10th overall in 2024 to the Giants for a fifth-round pick. With that player gone and no clear answer in place, the pressure is on to get this right.
The draft may not make things any easier. Next year’s quarterback class had plenty of hype before the season, but concerns about how ready the group really is have grown as the college year has gone on. Minnesota also likely won’t be picking high enough to land a premium first-round quarterback.
The danger for the Vikings is obvious: they can’t afford to force another pick just because they need one. That’s the same trap they’ve already fallen into with McCarthy and Christian Ponder.
There is still a path to a long-term solution, but it’s a complicated one. A bad finish to the season or some draft-slot maneuvering could put Minnesota within range of the right quarterback, though failing to win a playoff game this year could also shorten the window for O’Connell to develop a young passer.
Free agency doesn’t look much cleaner. The projected options include Deshaun Watson, Kirk Cousins, Jacoby Brissett, Anthony Richardson and Mac Jones.
Jones is viewed as the best blend of fit and upside, but he could also be the most expensive. A reunion with Cousins is on the table, though he would be entering the 2027 season at age 39.
That leaves the Vikings staring at a familiar kind of quarterback dilemma: no perfect draft answer, no slam-dunk veteran fix, and a roster that may be losing key pieces while projected cap space stays tight. The most realistic route may be to sign a dependable veteran and take a swing on a high-upside rookie. If that feels too risky, Teasley may have to get aggressive and explore the trade market.
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Vikings History Still Turns On One Franchise Defining In-Season Trade
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Marshall went on to become one of the most durable and respected players in franchise history, setting an NFL record for consecutive games played and serving as a longtime captain. His number is retired by the Vikings, a reminder that some trades are remembered less for the moment they happened than for the standard they helped establish. [Read more 🡒]