The Minnesota Vikings made their quarterback room deeper on Thursday morning when they re-signed Carson Wentz. Although we last saw Wentz with his shoulder dangling from his socket on national television last October, he adds to Kevin O’Connell’s quest to create the biggest quarterback competition for anyone who’s ever competed. But it also could be another nail in the coffin for J.J. McCarthy.
At first glance, you may think that Wentz is coming on to be the veteran in the room. With Kyler Murray likely to win the starting job, McCarthy could develop in the shadows as the No. 2, and Wentz could be the sounding board similar to the one Kirk Cousins had with Sean Mannion a few years ago.
But this could mean the opposite for McCarthy. After 10 starts that went haywire, Wentz’s return suggests the Vikings are open to trading McCarthy, leaving fans torn about Minnesota’s next move.
McCarthy’s previous performance could make the answer obvious. But it could also be haunted by the past of everyone involved.
While some have tried to nudge the McCarthy decision to former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, there are plenty of signs that O’Connell was heavily involved. In the lead-up to the 2024 draft, he dubbed himself “The Quarterback Killer” while almost tipping his hand for a potential trade-up for Drake Maye. He’s been the green light that brought Sam Darnold to Minnesota and the red light that had Sam Howell traded before Howell even played an official snap last summer.
But beyond that Commodus exterior lies a coach who was affected by his own quarterback journey.
O’Connell was unceremoniously dumped by the New York Jets during an episode of Hard Knocks and seems to have some sympathy for quarterbacks who land in bad situations. While O’Connell would never admit it, the Vikings placed McCarthy in an unideal situation a year ago, leading a team that won 14 games the previous season and carrying Super Bowl expectations into 2026. It also included dents in the infrastructure that promised to elevate quarterbacks, including a less-than-100% version of Christian Darrisaw and a three-game suspension for Jordan Addison at the beginning of the year.
These are things that O’Connell likely takes into consideration when he says he could still see McCarthy being successful in the NFL. But, as with many decisions at TCO Performance Center, multiple voices are involved.
The biggest one might come from the owners’ suite. The Wilf family hates missing the playoffs, but they might hate getting embarrassed even more. Look no further than Adofo-Mensah’s firing in January, which came the same week that Darnold led the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl. While there’s little evidence to relate the two events, it may not be a coincidence. The same could be said if they decide to trade McCarthy.
McCarthy wasn’t just bad last season; he was embarrassing. His passes weren’t just off-target; they were threatening fans in the field-level suites. McCarthy’s “Nine” meme will likely live on as long as social media exists. His personal coach brawled with Vikings legend Cris Carter online after Carter criticized his performance. He hit “The Griddy” despite his coaches telling him not to, fearing he would fumble the ball. Minnesota’s offense, pitched as a fool-proof reason McCarthy would succeed, was out of sync from the moment he stepped in, and Justin Jefferson needed all 17 games to reach 1,000 yards.
If you want further evidence, look at KFAN radio analyst Ben Leber’s criticism of McCarthy after he pulled himself out of the game with a fractured hand in Week 18. While he disagreed with “the theatrics” of the decision, there’s no way he says that if the Vikings have a healthy, long-term view of McCarthy going forward.
With everything piling up, there’s a strong case for the Vikings just to rip off the Band-Aid and sell McCarthy for pennies on the dollar. But even then, fans can’t seem to let go.
Vikings history suggests that fans should be bracing for the worst possible outcome, no matter the situation. Gary Anderson didn’t miss a kick the entire 1998 season before shanking one in the NFC Championship game. Brett Favre was invincible in 2009 before he threw across his body to Tracy Porter. Blair Walsh was a former All-Pro kicker before he shanked a field goal into the Mississippi River. And a 38-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2017 NFC Championship game came one week after the Minneapolis Miracle.
To put it bluntly, Vikings fans are the teenagers who hide in the shed full of chainsaws in the Friday the 13th movies. And they can see the horror plot playing out with McCarthy.
Let’s say McCarthy’s former college coach, Jim Harbaugh, wants to try to save McCarthy with the Los Angeles Chargers. A coach who knows his strengths, he plays to them and develops him behind Justin Herbert. A year later, a team brings him aboard, and he plays well. Next thing you know, McCarthy is on “The Sam Darnold Path” on his way to get “The Baker Mayfield Deal” and become the NFL’s next “Phoenix Quarterback.”
If the Vikings are continuing to use everybody’s quarterback, it would be frustrating for everyone involved not to see McCarthy’s development through. But at this point, that may be ignoring the reality.
Even if McCarthy takes a leap, it’s unlikely he’d have a Josh Allen transformation. At this point, it’d be more realistic to wonder if McCarthy could become Bryce Young, and even the Carolina Panthers don’t know if Young is a long-term option as they build an infrastructure for sustained success.
It also could just be the nature of the NFL. Trey Lance only started two games before Kyle Shanahan pulled the plug, and the San Francisco 49ers moved forward and found Brock Purdy at the end of the draft. There’s even a chance that Murray could turn out better in Minnesota than expected, filling the quarterback position and giving the front office a guy they can trust and build around.
These are the realities the Vikings may need to accept. O’Connell may want to ride with McCarthy, and if he trades him away and he succeeds, it will be more embarrassment for the Wilfs and fans who were screaming to see it through. But it might be best for both sides to start over.
The addition of Wentz adds another layer to that decision, and the Vikings must look beyond their past to determine what is in the best interest of both parties.
